How parents can ‘walk the talk’ when it comes to building routines for children

Tailoring routine-building strategies to different family dynamics

If you’re part of a dual-working couple, where both parents have demanding jobs, your routine-building strategies could include weekend getaways, evening family dinners, or bedtime storytelling, and monitoring your child’s study hours from time to time. It’s also essential to make room for personal time as a couple. After all, for parents to collaborate well, open communication and mutual understanding about parenting goals, and aligning on these values, are important.

Suppose you are a couple where one partner is working outside and the other is working at home with the kids and household responsibilities. In that case, you can create a stimulating environment for the child to study with full focus as well as monitor their progress. You could implement strategies like the Pomodoro Technique, where both the child and parent engage in focused activities for 45-minute intervals, followed by shared breaks. This creates a structured, focused environment that encourages both study and productivity.

If you are a single parent where you are taking care of your child from all angles, you need to have an emotional inner circle of people where you can seek help. Joining community clubs of parents, reading groups for kids, group study sessions, etc. could be beneficial strategies to improve productivity in your child.

Balancing technology and discipline

Sudha Murthy’s point about not watching television while her children studied to avoid distractions is not incorrect. However, this can be adjusted based on the child’s developmental stage. Younger children, especially those just starting preschool, might benefit from seeing their parents model self-control—if the parent isn’t watching TV, the child might find it easier to resist distractions.

For older children, particularly those preparing for exams like board exams, the situation changes. At this stage, they are often more self-aware and conscious of the importance of discipline. In these cases, parents might only need to provide emotional support, encouragement, and guidance in moments of uncertainty.

There is no single parenting formula that works for every family. The key is to customise your approach based on your child’s personality, your family’s circumstances, and what works best for you. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new techniques and ideas before figuring out what works best for your child and family.