What's up next, Doc?

I was hanging up clothes while my children were watching TV in the other room. As I listened, I could see the picture clearly in my mind. It's Looney Tunes and Bugs is playing the xylophone. Daffy has already rigged it to explode when he hits that "certain" note in the song. On he plays constantly missing "the note" till Daffy, in exasperation, plays it for him and BOOM! I smile. I guess I've seen it a million times, but it still makes me chuckle.

Familiarity... We know what to expect and when to expect it, and it can bring us a great sense of security and comfort. Look at your daily routine, and you'll find many things that are done a set way each time. Mess with that precision too much and most people find it hard to accomplish much that day. Your children are no different. They thrive on routine. If you think about it, a young child may have very little control over what happens to him through the day. Most parents have a set time for naps, bath time, feeding, and they try not to vary too much from this set schedule. If you don't have an established routine, it may leave your young child frustrated rather than feeling in control. Children like to know what to expect. Not only does this help your child learn more about sequencing, it also brings a level of comfort and security that allows your child to freely explore their world and comfortably transition from one activity to the next. Too add more familiarity when changing from one activity to another, consider using a specific song every time to signal when it's time to change. You can use a favorite song or even make one up for bath time, dinner time, or a favorite lullaby for bed time.