🔻As children grow and develop, they can do many more things for themselves, without their parents' help. This can be upsetting for parents, who may feel their child does not need parents any more. In reality, children continue to need their parents to provide guidance as they master more complex life skills.
As children become more independent, their confidence also develops. This gradual increase in independence prepares children for later life. It also enables children to participate and contribute to the smooth running of the home.
Becoming independent involves learning basic self-care, increasing responsibilities, and feeling confident in their abilities.
Behaviours that show increasing independence include:
• Getting ready to go out.
• Completing simple household chores.
• Self-care skills such as using toilet, brushing their hair9 for girls), cleaning their teeth, dressing.
• Looking after their own things and tidying up after themselves.
• Getting ready for school.
• Cooking under supervision.
Once children attend school they need to be able to:
• Go to bed at a reasonable time and get a good night's sleep (9 hours of night sleep for children between 6 to 12 years old) At 9 P.M.
• Get up in the morning at a suitable time. At 6 A.M.
• Get dressed and groomed.
• Have a healthy breakfast.
• Have everything they need ready for their day's activities (at school an after school). Prepared at last night before going to bed.
• Arrive at school in an alert, positive frame of mind, ready to learn.
• Greet their teachers and peers politely.
🔻 Avoid Morning Traps
A number of parenting traps make it harder for children to get into a good morning routine. these include parents getting up late themselves so there is a big rush for everyone. being disorganized in the morning, such as not being able to find school uniforms, also contributes to stress before school and can cause children to get bored or distracted and stop getting ready.
Another morning trap is simply taking over and doing everything for your child. Children learn when they have opportunities to practice their skills. Also, if parents give their child too many prompts and reminders to get their child to hurry up, children can learn to rely on this and only get ready after repeated reminders.
🔻 Get Your Child Into a Good Morning and Afternoon Routine
Getting children into a good morning routine helps to start the day off well.
• Plan ahead. Before retiring the night before, be clear about the commitments and activities for the next day. Follow the class time table to pack the school bag. Any special occasion to wear different clothes to school like Harmony Day, National Day, Festival Eve Celebration, etc.
• Be organized and get everything ready the night before. have your child's school clothes/uniform ready so they are easy to find in the morning.
• Avoid distractions like watching television or using the computer or handphone. these activities may make it harder to leave the house on time.
• Discuss the morning ground rules.
Explain to your child what you would like them to do each morning.
• Start an activity schedule. This can be a chart with photographs, drawings or words for each step your child must complete; example, wake up, get out of bed, get dressed, have breakfast, clean your teeth, and pack your lunch in your schoolbag. Pictures can be arranged in the order they are to be completed.
• Prompt your child to use their schedule -- What's the first thing you need to do?
• Initially, praise your child for each step they complete, even if they needed to be prompted. Once your child can do the step by themselves, only praise them is they do it without a reminder.
• Provide a back-up reward, such as an after school activity they enjoy.
• Once the routine is established, gradually reduce prompts and rewards.
Similar strategies can be used to help children get into a good, predictable after school routine:
• Allow your child to unwind and relax when they get home.
• Give your child a healthy snack to eat after school. An cherry sweet apple.
• Decide on a time to start homework (if any) and stick to it.
• Allow playtime, television time and computer games time after homework is done.
See the Homework tip sheet for ideas on getting children into good homework routines.
TAKE HOME MESSAGES
• Encourage your child to show respect to others.
• Encourage your child to be considerate of others' needs.
• Help your child become a good communicator and develop their social skills.
• Help your child develop healthy self-esteem.
• Teach your child to become a good problem solver.
• Promote independence by encouraging your child to take responsibility and do things for themselves.
Well done , Well done, Well Done
As children become more independent, their confidence also develops. This gradual increase in independence prepares children for later life. It also enables children to participate and contribute to the smooth running of the home.
Becoming independent involves learning basic self-care, increasing responsibilities, and feeling confident in their abilities.
Behaviours that show increasing independence include:
• Getting ready to go out.
• Completing simple household chores.
• Self-care skills such as using toilet, brushing their hair9 for girls), cleaning their teeth, dressing.
• Looking after their own things and tidying up after themselves.
• Getting ready for school.
• Cooking under supervision.
Once children attend school they need to be able to:
• Go to bed at a reasonable time and get a good night's sleep (9 hours of night sleep for children between 6 to 12 years old) At 9 P.M.
• Get up in the morning at a suitable time. At 6 A.M.
• Get dressed and groomed.
• Have a healthy breakfast.
• Have everything they need ready for their day's activities (at school an after school). Prepared at last night before going to bed.
• Arrive at school in an alert, positive frame of mind, ready to learn.
• Greet their teachers and peers politely.
🔻 Avoid Morning Traps
A number of parenting traps make it harder for children to get into a good morning routine. these include parents getting up late themselves so there is a big rush for everyone. being disorganized in the morning, such as not being able to find school uniforms, also contributes to stress before school and can cause children to get bored or distracted and stop getting ready.
Another morning trap is simply taking over and doing everything for your child. Children learn when they have opportunities to practice their skills. Also, if parents give their child too many prompts and reminders to get their child to hurry up, children can learn to rely on this and only get ready after repeated reminders.
🔻 Get Your Child Into a Good Morning and Afternoon Routine
Getting children into a good morning routine helps to start the day off well.
• Plan ahead. Before retiring the night before, be clear about the commitments and activities for the next day. Follow the class time table to pack the school bag. Any special occasion to wear different clothes to school like Harmony Day, National Day, Festival Eve Celebration, etc.
• Be organized and get everything ready the night before. have your child's school clothes/uniform ready so they are easy to find in the morning.
• Avoid distractions like watching television or using the computer or handphone. these activities may make it harder to leave the house on time.
• Discuss the morning ground rules.
Explain to your child what you would like them to do each morning.
• Start an activity schedule. This can be a chart with photographs, drawings or words for each step your child must complete; example, wake up, get out of bed, get dressed, have breakfast, clean your teeth, and pack your lunch in your schoolbag. Pictures can be arranged in the order they are to be completed.
• Prompt your child to use their schedule -- What's the first thing you need to do?
• Initially, praise your child for each step they complete, even if they needed to be prompted. Once your child can do the step by themselves, only praise them is they do it without a reminder.
• Provide a back-up reward, such as an after school activity they enjoy.
• Once the routine is established, gradually reduce prompts and rewards.
Similar strategies can be used to help children get into a good, predictable after school routine:
• Allow your child to unwind and relax when they get home.
• Give your child a healthy snack to eat after school. An cherry sweet apple.
• Decide on a time to start homework (if any) and stick to it.
• Allow playtime, television time and computer games time after homework is done.
See the Homework tip sheet for ideas on getting children into good homework routines.
TAKE HOME MESSAGES
• Encourage your child to show respect to others.
• Encourage your child to be considerate of others' needs.
• Help your child become a good communicator and develop their social skills.
• Help your child develop healthy self-esteem.
• Teach your child to become a good problem solver.
• Promote independence by encouraging your child to take responsibility and do things for themselves.
Well done , Well done, Well Done
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