Your 6-Year-Old: Soothing routines

Soothing routines

When your child heads off to elementary school, every day there's something new to master — new friends to be made, new lessons to be learned, a new body to grow into. It can be overwhelming for a 6-year-old. That's why kids cling to routines more than ever.

Your 6-year-old now

Structure makes children feel safe. They have something to hold onto amid all the anxiety and know what to expect. "When I get home, I know I'll have a snack, do my homework, and then walk the dog."

You'll also notice how much less fighting there is if you stick with the routines. Kids will understand what needs to get done and when. Enough said. And they feel proud when they pack their own backpacks and finish their chores.

That's not to say you have to be a zealot. There are times – like birthdays or meteor showers – when it's okay to veer off schedule and get to bed a tad late.

If kids catch on to routines now and learn good habits, they can handle larger changes down the road. Let's face it, if they can't brush their teeth and do their homework now, how will they ever pay the bills and get to work on time when they grow up?

Your life now

Now that your child is entering the homework years, it's a good time to plan how to handle it. Set up a place for your child to work. Many kids do well with a desk or table in their bedroom, but some younger kids prefer to do the work near a parent – maybe at the kitchen table. Have your child do his assignments at a consistent time, such as right after school or right after dinner.

Should you help? Be available to answer questions, but most teachers feel it's best if you don't give answers or actually do the work. The point isn't that the work gets finished correctly but that your child understands the underlying concepts.