Setting Routines Right Out of the Womb

LAYING DOWN THE LAW

(click picture)

We have a new voice in our house. Little as the fellow is, he tends to think he runs the house. Not bloody likely. As a childcare provider for over thirty-five years and a parent of three grown daughters, I honestly believe I have learned a lot. And so I share. First let's talk about routines.

ROUTINES-Right Out of the Womb

A good routine is a staple in the spine of life’s novel. It holds your world together. If you set routines, not necessarily schedules, at the introduction of the child in your life you will find everything runs smoother. You don’t have to think about what to do next, the infant will know what to expect from one time to another and the child will know and anticipate actions from one stage to another. A routine is different from a schedule because it doesn’t run on ‘time’ but on habit. It’s like knowing you have to put on your socks before your shoes. The time when you do it doesn’t matter just the process.

BED

There are two forms of routines I love the most when dealing with infants and young children, bedtime and bath time. Why you may ask, because my day will soon be over and relaxation would be my middle name. Just kidding, ha.

The bath time is a great time to interact to the child because you have a captive audience. As you clean their little bodies you are also massaging them which release the tensions of the day from yourself and whatever may have bothered the child throughout their day.

Rule 1: in the bath routine is to make sure you have everything ready and close at hand. You cannot leave the child to run and get a forgotten item. A lot can happen in ‘just a minute’.
Rule 2: Check and double check the temperature of the bath water and the temperature of the water faucet. Make sure the last water that has flowed through the faucet was the cold water to minimize the risk of the child getting burned if they happen to touch the faucet. I also suggest the purchase of one of those items on the market which covers the faucet to protect against of head injuries. The best way to avoid head injuries is to bathe the child at the foot of the tub away from the faucet. Tiny infants of course are cleaned in an infant tub, but the last water to flow through the faucet habit should be maintained.
Rule 3: Provide some sort of nonslip surface at the bottom of the tub, this can be either a rubber padding made for this purpose or a towel or infant blanket. Not everyone wants to use or purchase special tub seating.
Rule 4: Make sure you have a cordless telephone somewhere in reach, but not near the water. Having the telephone in the bathroom serves two purposes. A. You won’t have to run out of the room to answer it if it rings and B. If there is an emergency the telephone is near you and you won’t have to run out of the room to go and get it.
Rule 5: Don’t use this time for bathing the child as an opportunity to have a casual conversation on the telephone. Safety is your number one priority. No amount of gossip can replace the life of your child.