Looking at your Routine: Finding ways to incorporate strategies

We are talking about strategies in our new series: Strategies to Blossom.  Before we dig into all the research-based strategies we are going to learn over the next series of Facebook Live videos, we need to start at the ground level. 

Starting from the Beginning: 

We are borrowing a method from early intervention (services for children ages birth-up to age 3 years).  At the beginning of early intervention services, providers conduct a Routine Based Interview (RBI).  This interview asks families detailed questions about their everyday lives.  
"How does your day begin?"
"How does your child participate in the activity?"
"How do you feel this time of day goes for you?"

 I love this method because it values each individual family and each individual child.  

List your daily routine: 

For our purposes you will first begin by listing all of your daily routines on a piece of scrap paper.  Your routines may be different depending on the day.  You can make several lists.  You might have a weekday list and a weekend list.  You might have a different list for each day of the week.  Do what works for your family. 

Plug this information into the Routines Chart:

If you want a PDF copy of this chart, be sure to email me at branchandblossomatelier@gmail.com

Start with your first activity of the day and put into the left hand column: "Routine".  In the next column list all the steps needed to complete that routine activity.  In the third column, write what your child is currently doing during this activity.  Think about what your child is able to do independently.  Also note if your child is able to do some steps with assistance.  The last column lets you notate whether or not this routine activity is an area of concern for your family.

Example of a completed chart: 

Here is an example of a partially completed chart I did for my 2-year-old child.  I chose the "ride home" from childcare as a focus area.  

Look at all areas of concern: 

After you have completed this exercise for all of your routines, take note of the areas of concern.  These will be the times of day that you will use one of the research-based strategies from #StrategiesToBlossom

Since the ride home from childcare is an area of concern, I will look at strategies that I can implement to make this routine more enjoyable for everyone involved.  I may decide that an overall visual schedule of our day would be helpful for my daughter.  I may try to use task analysis to show her all the steps of riding in a car.  I may offer Quinlan choices of songs to listen to in the car on the way home. 

Please join us: 

Thank you for putting on your detective hat and looking closely at your daily routines.  I hope you continue to join us for our Facebook Live series #StrategiesToBlossom.  You can find me at Branch & Blossom Atelier on Facebook.  Our next Live video will be talking about using choice boards.