" Be Consistent" --
"Explain Any Change of Routines"--
Children develop best in an environment of order and consistency--even during summer and holiday school breaks. They are happier when they know what to expect. To a young child, a predictable world is a safe world.
By setting up regular, reliable times and procedures for daily events, parents and guardians or child care provider provide a dependable environment. Routines also help avoid the power struggles that so often occur between adults and children.
You'll find life with your child goes more smoothly if you set up and consistently carry out regular routines such as bedtime, wake-up time, mealtimes, chore times, play times, and homework times. You will find that children are more pleasant during unusual family-bonding to-dos such as vacation or a new sitter. It might help to have a list of the sequence of daily events posted where your child can refer to it as necessary (for example, Bedtime--put on pajamas, brush teeth, read story). Use simple drawings on the schedule instead of words if need be for small children: let kids help.
Of course, some changes in schedules and routines are unavoidable. And while children prefer routine, they are resilient enough when a familiar routine has to be disturbed.