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Structure is essential for children, especially those with special needs. However, routines for children with disability can be a challenge to establish.
Humans are creatures of routine.
Between spontaneity and familiarity, people stick to behaviors that feel safe and convenient. These behaviors are built out of pattern and habitual continuity, which they seek to solidify their day-to-day conventions. To people, routines aren’t only the safer, more comfortable option. Instead, they’re how they build lifestyles that regulate and mandate how their lives will turn out.
Hence, routine or structure is integral in life.
But such is especially important for children with disabilities.
Why They Seek Consistency
Routines for children with disabilities are vital to their well-being and development. These provide comfort, reduce anxiety, and allow them to thrive in a familiar environment.
Unlike other children who can be open to changes and spontaneity, children with special needs struggle with unpredictability. They can be sensitive to the most minor changes in their surroundings, and when ticked, they can be hindered from functioning decently throughout the day. It’s imperative for parents to build routines for children with disabilities. They must promote a situation where children feel more in control and self-governing of their days.
The more consistent their days are, the fewer problematic behaviors will arise. The more in control they are of situations, the fewer tantrums they’ll throw.
In a world different from usual, routines are essential elements that help children with special needs navigate. These not only promote independence through comfort but also enhance any skill necessary for them to thrive in whatever situation they may find themselves in.
How Parents Build Routines for Children With Disabilities
Author Lynda Drake has helped establish practical tools to parent your child with disabilities. As a mother of one herself, Lynda notes her struggles and what she learned to handle her situation better. In her book and talks, she discusses the ups and downs that parenthood can experience and how parents can establish firm routines for children with disabilities.
Try Visualizing It
Most children with special needs better understand instructions when they’re visualized. This means that parents must consider creating visual timetables for every activity their children will be doing. A visual schedule can help these children picture what happens within their tasks, which soothes their minds from unpredictability and anxiety.
Visual aids may be best for children who find it challenging to follow verbal instructions. But why not consider applying them to everyone else?
Establish a Wake-Up and Bedtime Routine
What better way to establish routines for children with disabilities than by starting and ending their days? When they’re met with an already familiar start to their days, they’re less likely to go about their days on the wrong foot. By setting these routines, parents not only ensure their children get enough rest. However, they can also establish essential activities that can be too complicated for these minds, such as getting dressed and winding down to prepare for bed.
Plan Snacks and Meals
Regular meal times can better structure these children’s days. Unlike allowing them to eat whenever they want to, which can lead to them forgetting or getting distracted, parents must facilitate the right time for such. It’s also important for parents to involve their children in planning the time and meals they want to eat.
In establishing these routines for children with disabilities, their opinions matter. After all, parents are building their days around what they’re comfortable with.
These are some of the most common routines parents must start with to help their children better manage their days. These activities can be planned ahead, and they are sure to be part of their days. But what happens when other tasks suddenly arise?
No matter how firmly parents establish patterns and routines for children with disabilities, there will still be changes that will occur. When these happen, what can be done to help them cope with them?
Still, Be Flexible and Spontaneous
While habits and structure are consequential for these children, they should still be exposed to predictability. After all, life is still filled with uncertainties. Hence, parents must still teach them to be flexible. This can be introduced to their days through unstructured playtime, new experiences, and exploration, teaching them to be adaptable and creative throughout.
There should still be a balance of familiarity and spontaneity in the lives of children with special needs. It’s every parent’s responsibility to find the perfect in-between.
Struggling to establish patterns in your child’s life? Talk with Lynda Drake and receive tips that’ll alleviate your troubles through her book The Power of Imperfect Parents. Grab a copy of it now!
