The Importance of Routine:
Why Structure Helps
Children with Autism Thrive

Daily Routines Help Reduce Stress

For children and adults with autism, novel situations can be incredibly stressful. These are unfamiliar situations that can be tough to navigate, whether they involve professional, personal, or academic matters.

You can set your child up for success now by developing daily routines to ease some of the stress surrounding new experiences and situations. Along with providing comfort, routines offer the opportunity to help your child develop healthy coping mechanisms, which can help them better process novel situations in the future.

How to Create a Routine That Really Works for Your Child

There’s no one-size-fits-all routine that can accommodate all people with autism, but breaking each day into three separate segments offers a good starting point:

• Morning – Set a definitive wakeup time and stick to it, even during weekends. You must also block off time for bathing and dressing, breakfast, and other early morning tasks. 

• Afternoon – When your child returns from school, schedule time for snacks, family bonding, and hobbies. Next, establish a time for working on homework and other projects.

• Nighttime – After dinner, make time for wholesome hobbies like reading, listening to music, and drawing. These activities can be followed by a bedtime ritual, which should occur at the same time each night to keep your child on track.

Depending on the child, parents may need to communicate the details of the schedule in different ways. Some children learn visually, so a calendar with images might be best. Other children may need to be reminded via alarms and alerts. If you are not sure how to proceed, consult with your child’s teachers and/or paediatricians, who can help you find resources.