August is the quintessential vacation month: beach or mountains, visiting new places, eating different things... It is the official month of relaxation and well-being, where we finally find the rest we deserve after a year of work and obligations. Perhaps that is why we also relax in the face of our babies' routine, being more ductile than during the rest of the year. The lives of babies are marked by a series of events that are sacred: their sleep cycles, their meal times or their play times are fundamental for their development, but during the summer periods, they are clearly affected, since, in the end, moms and dads decide the pace at which their babies will follow. At the moment it is not a problem, but when it comes to returning to the routine, the baby may have a hard time adapting.
In order to avoid or soften the clash of schedules, and thus be able to adapt both you and the baby to the end of the vacation, we have compiled five tips to get back to the routine that will surely come in handy:
1. Be flexible, but aware.
When we are on vacation, schedules change, and we even become a little “wild” when it comes to structuring our days. However, when a baby is present in our summer period, we must keep in mind the importance of the existence of this routine for its development. Be flexible, it is okay for the little one to feel that he is part of the family plans, but with awareness that he needs a few structured days. And this is how we present the first tip for a return to the routine that is more pleasant for both of you: don't let the acquired habits disappear completely during the holidays.
2. Return to the routine little by little.
As a general rule, we older people usually have approximately fifteen days of vacation, and some who are lucky even get a month or more of leave. For this reason, it is important not to redo the habits that you have established over a long period of time in a single day. Try to return to day-to-day life in a progressive way. If we introduce these schedules gradually, we will prevent the beginning of the school routine from colliding with the little one's lack of daily rhythm. With the push of attentive parents, it is essential to transmit to our sons and daughters to strengthen their self-esteem and self-confidence, in order to face the new challenges that arise with enthusiasm and a good attitude. self-confidence and strengthen their self-esteem.
3. Most importantly, sleep.
During the summer, we tend to be more flexible with the limits on when to go to sleep and start a new day. At Asalvo, we recommend starting by introducing the schedules regarding when children wake up and go to bed.
Once this goal is achieved, getting up at the same time every day will be “a piece of cake” and, therefore, we can get into the work of organizing meal times, since feeding is the other key factor in your baby's routine. Having these two factors under control, you will have half the way there, since the variations in these events of the day are those that cause the greatest discomfort to the most little ones.
4. Get your little one used to obligations beforehand.
If, for different reasons, part of your baby's routine is going to be with strangers or people he or she does not see every day, it is key that you get your son or daughter used to these schedules before starting these activities. If, for example, your baby is going to start attending daycare, a good practice would be to make the route from home to daycare days before the actual start of the course, so you can calculate the time you need to arrive, and also familiarize the baby with the routine. It is also important that you are punctual both to pick it up and to take it, so that your baby is aware that it will only be there for a certain time. And if you also have the opportunity for your son or daughter to meet the professional who will be with him or her, the separation of both will be more pleasant for him or her. If, on the other hand, you usually leave your baby with their grandparents, we also recommend that you carry out “simulations” of daily life, such as going for a snack, or going to play with them for a while at home, with the same objective mentioned above: to help them assimilate the routine.
5. Be patient with the baby.
This last piece of advice is directed to you, mom or dad. We have already mentioned that for our babies, returning to routine can irritate them, make them more sensitive and irascible. That is why patience should be your greatest ally, and even more so in the first days, when we are in the process of readjusting to sleep and meal schedules, which, as we mentioned previously in the third point on the list, these factors are the most difficult for boys and girls. Be consistent with it, when you manage to repeat the same routine for several days, for your baby there will never have been a pause in his daily life.
What did you think of our tips? Do you have any personal tips to share with other moms and dads? We read you in the comments to learn from each other!
