Being a full-time working mother with a child, it really
took me lot of mindful effort to set an effective daily routine for my child
that would simplify my life while giving me the contentment of offering a
happier childhood to my child.
Breaking the daily routine of the child into manageable
chunks is the easiest way to start. Here’s how a mother can ensure an ideal
morning-to-night routine for a child.
Practice Personal Hygiene:
Don't instruct your kids to follow those principles of good
hygiene... Because they won't listen. So what’s the point??
I've personally experienced that the habits to maintain
good hygiene can either be developed in kids in a play-way method or via
leading by example. The trick is to let the kids observe their parents brushing
their teeth, washing their hands, cleaning their body parts or wearing clean
clothes because they are more likely to follow and mirror their actions.
Healthy Eating Habits:
Whether you are mother to a toddler, a preschooler or a
teenager, the 'fussy eaters' or 'picky eaters' are present in most families
these days. Making kids learn to make healthy food choices gives nightmares to
many parents. Offering something more than formal food in their meals excites
kids and enhance their appetite.
Giving choices to pick veggies/fruits of own liking
actually helps the kids build positive associations with food. I personally
prefer experimenting with recipes by asking my child what ingredient to
substitute in a dish so that he would love it more and he waits to taste the
new preparation. But make sure you provide them with a healthy alternative
option. Eg: you can easily substitute rice with boiled semolina.
Encourage Outdoor Activities:
In this hi-tech age, where most kids choose to spend their
leisurely time digging tech gadgets, it has become the foremost concern for
parents to curb kids' vigorous activity of TV watching, video gaming, net
surfing as these activities tend to refrain kids from connect to their natural
surroundings.
The kids should be exposed to interesting outdoor games
that would lead to their wholesome physical development. #ChildrensPlayDay is
an amazing initiative taken up to encourage outdoor play by Good knight! To know more watch the Children’s
Play Day video.
But remember while sending the kids out for play, don't
forget to use a good outdoor mosquito repellent to avoid mosquito bites and
thus mosquito borne diseases.
After spending many hours at school, it is hard to convince
children to study at home. It's not advisable to force children to study when
they cannot concentrate. Give them a break to take some rest or do their
favourite recreational activity, whatever they wish to. I, as a working mother,
have made it a daily practice to sit down with my child compiling my
documents/work assignments while he is studying, so that his momentum of
studying is kept higher.
Setting the Bedtime:
"Is my child getting enough sleep?" is one
of the concerns that most mothers like me need to get addressed. While many of
the parents might not find it easy to evaluate the amount of sleep that
children of a particular age might need, they can always ensure to get kids
into bed as early as possible. Regular sleep pattern not only helps the child
get up with infinite energy but also promotes the physical and mental growth of
a child. I always make sure to spare few minutes of relaxed snuggle time with
my child as he wakes up in the morning to begin our day with a lovely smile.
I hope my experiences would serve as guiding tips for
mothers out there and your kids will enjoy their good morning to good knight
routine :)
Winner update (11.02.17)-
The winners are Ghazala Naseem, Niharika Seth, Meena Mehta, Sumita Kapur and Kanchan Malhotra.
Congratulations ladies! Kindly DM your postal address and contact no. On Facebook, so that we may ship your gift.
