Establishing Nurturing
Parenting Routines
Nurturing Parenting
Section 9.4
GOAL
To increase parent's ability to establish
nurturing routines with their children.
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OBJECTIVES
To increase parents’ ability to establish
nurturing routines with their children.
To identify times when nurturing
parenting routines could be established.
To discuss the value of establishing
nurturing routines.
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Building Disciple Through
Routines
Purpose of routines are:


To set standards of conduct that children can
abide by and incorporate into their belief system
To establish a consistent way of doing something.
Nurturing parenting routines are a consistent
way of raising children that builds a child’s
sense of predictability and success that
enhances children’s self-concept, self-worth
and feelings of competence.
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Much of the hassles of homework,
bedtime, dinner time, and getting
dressed can be reduced or
eliminated by establishing a routine.
Respond to the following:
My one routine from childhood that
I remember is __________.
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Routines
 Nurturing routines help establish:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Consistency and predictability.
Empathy
Positive self-esteem and self-concept
Cooperation
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Routines (cont.)
 Nurturing routines consist of:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Gentle positive touch
Praise for being and doing
Pleasant expressions and tone of voice
Empathic caregivers
FUN!!!
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Routines (cont.)
 Nurturing routines can be established
for any activity but should be at least
established for the following:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Homework
Dinner time
Bedtime
Getting Dressed
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Establish Homework Routine
First!!!
What is your current practice
of getting homework done?
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Nurturing Parenting Routine
for Homework
Select a homework spot. Kitchen table?
Family room? Bedroom? The location
needs to be conducive to concentrating
and being on task. TV’s, radios and
CD’s do not usually contribute to
concentration and being on task,
although some people do work better
with music in the background.
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Nurturing Parenting Routine
for Homework (cont)
Select a time. After school? After dinner? Two
points to ponder: Children need a break just
like adults from work. For some children,
after school is a time to unwind and relax
from the pressures of school. Also, the
longer the night goes on, the more likely
tiredness and fatigue set in. Error rate is
higher and concentration is lower when
children are fatigued. Some children like to
get their homework done as soon as possible
and have their evenings free. Find what
works best for each of your children.
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Nurturing Parenting Routine
for Homework (cont)
Be a homework partner. Parents and children
working together on homework increases the
likelihood it will get done, promotes a positive
attitude toward learning, and builds parentchild bonds. Getting involved in your child’s
learning is critical for success in school.
Be supportive. Nagging about homework can
drive any child nuts, and can easily develop a
bad attitude. Be supporting and encouraging.
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Dinner Time Routine
What are your memories of dinner time
as children by responding to the
following:
One memory I have of dinner time as a
child is _______________.
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Nurturing Parenting Routine
for Dinner Time
Provide a comfortable eating environment.
Reinforce personal choice in eating.
Never make it mandatory to finish everything
on your plate.
Allow children to put their own portions of
food on their plate.
Involve children in shopping for food, creating
a weekly menu, and cooking the food.
Provide transition time before the food is
ready. Let everyone know in ten minutes it
will be ready.
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Nurturing Parenting Routine
for Dinner Time (cont.)
Sound pleasant when informing your family it is
time to eat. Nobody likes being commanded to
eat.
Involve children in setting the table.
Involve children in letting others know food is
ready.
Feed the dog or cat when people eat. You
reduce the likelihood of begging.
Establish a “wash hands” before eating rule.
Dinner time is ideally a family time. Keep the TV
off, and use the time to talk about the day’s
events.
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Nurturing Parenting Routine
for Dinner Time (cont.)
Teach proper meal time behaviors:
chewing with the mouth closed, not
talking when eating, using a napkin not
hand or sleeve.
Have everybody take their plate to the
sink.
Involve family members in the clean-up
of the meal. Assign appropriate tasks.
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Night time fears
Parents:
Share a memory about your bedtime.
Do you have any night time fears?
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Nurturing Parenting Routine
for Bedtime
Establish a clear cut time needed to be in
their beds. Some exceptions are OK, but
keep the exceptions to a minimum.
Young children need more sleep than older
children. Bed time can differ by age.
Provide a snack well before bed time. The
stomach needs time to digest the food.
Sugars and caffeine treats are nor
recommended.
Provide a transition time. Let children know
in 10-15 minutes it will be time to begin
getting ready for bed.
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Nurturing Parenting Routine
for Bedtime (cont.)
Build in a tubby-time, shower, or wash-up
time. Make the soap, wash cloth, and towel
easily available.
Build in a brushing time.
Build in reading stories time. Make sure the
content is suitable to comfort the child, not to
excite or make the child anxious. Good night
means rest well with sweet dreams.
Tell power stories. Recap all the good things
that the child did that day. Tell your child
how proud you are to be their parent. Tell
them that you love and care about them.
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Nurturing Parenting Routine
for Bedtime (cont.)
Use gentle touch to massage or rub the back
of your children while telling your power
story.
Leaving a small light on, or playing soft music
are options you may use to encourage rest
and sleep.
If your child has difficulty getting to sleep, it
is silly to command them to do so.
Encourage them to think nice thoughts.
Maybe your child needs to talk about
something that is troubling them. Take the
time to listen. Talking relieves anxieties.
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Nurturing Parenting Routine
for Bedtime (cont.)
Night time fears are real for children, and just
about all children go through a time when
they are afraid of the dark, or monsters, or
being left alone. Such fears are based on
feelings of insecurity. Be supportive. Don’t
tell your child it is all in their head and there
is nothing to be afraid of. Rather say, “Being
scared at night is common. What can I do to
help you feel comfortable?”
If necessary, set up a sleeping bag next to
your bed, or have children share one room.
For younger children, jumping into the
parents’ bed is a great reassurance that the
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world is a safe place.
Nurturing Parenting Routine
for Getting Dressed
Give children choices. They can wear A or B.
Lay out the cloths on the floor in the order of
putting them on.
Pick out the cloths the night before.
Help the younger children get dressed and
assist in doing things he or she cannot do.
Things your child can do should be
reinforced.
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Nurturing Parenting Routine
for Getting Dressed(cont.)
Be supportive in waking up from sleep.
Again, a gentle back rub with a pleasant tone
is nicer than a loud voice giving a command
to “get up” and bright lights.
Praise your child for the great job in picking
out clothes, getting dressed, and being on
time.
In the morning, have a nice breakfast after
you get up.
Give your children a hug and tell them that
you love them before they leave for the day!!!
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It takes a lot of work to be a
good parent.
Remember – What goes around
comes around.
Always show your children that
you love and care about them.
They will never forget it and you
will be rewarded for it may
times over.
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Remember
Your children are our future.
Your child is a little you.
Children need molding that requires
time, love, and energy.
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