Calm Calendar
When kids don't know what to expect each day they can feel anxious and uneasy. Planning out and sharing the schedule for the week can help them feel calmer. This is particularly helpful if big changes are happening at home. At the beginning of each week, try creating a picture calendar to explain and plan out activites and changes.
- Using a piece of paper and a marker, draw out the days of the week.
- Help your child add stickers or drawings to represent different activities.
- Review the calendar together, talking through any updates to your usual routine and moments of separation.
Children feel more secure when they know what is coming. Creating a plan together can help them feel in control, even when the rest of life sometimes feels a bit out of control. It also helps manage their expectations and makes them feel like part of the plan.
Try this next:
After discussing the future you can help them process the past. To help your child calm down before bed, talk through what they did that day, from when they got up to going to bed. This allows them to process the past day and have an easier time falling asleep.