How Creating a Visual Schedule Can Help Improve Morning Routines

So you've finally had enough to make a change. Your morning routine has to go smoother. You head over to Pinterest and print out a cute morning schedule your kiddo can follow.

You show it to them and they might even be excited about it. But when you go to use it in the mornings, it doesn't work. You walk your kiddo through it, you try pointing to the steps, and nothing works! You feel like you could scream and start to feel hopeless. You wonder, Why aren't they trying?

If your child has executive functioning challenges, their working memory may be lagging. This makes it difficult for your child to see themselves doing their routine.

Working memory is how we hold pieces of information in our brains to get tasks done.

If this scenario sounds familiar, your child likely struggles with working memory...

Your kiddo goes to their room to grab their backpack but gets distracted and begins playing with something in their room. You check on them and have to give them each step to get ready on time. 

To help your child, create a personalized visual schedule. This will allow your child to visualize themselves following their routine. You can create it by taking pictures of your kiddo doing each task. Instead of telling them what to do, refer them back to their schedule to keep them on track.