On Schedule Parents have heard the see saw debate about on demand versus schedule. Young children need consistency and routine to feel safe and secure. Routines provide reassurance that the world is a safe and predictable place. Loving rituals grow naturally when the baby s lead is followed .
Planning is necessary, but so is flexibility.
As your child gets older, your routines will change to meet the new challenges that face your child. Mrs Poole offers some wonderful examples and suggestions that can guide parents in setting up routines that will work for them and their children. Carla Poole is an advisor in the infant-parent development program at Bank Street College of Education in New York and a child development specialist at Bellevue Hospital. From infancy on, your children count on rituals and routines for comfort and security-especially now, as they begin a new school year. The baby quiets as she latches onto the breast or bottle and eagerly sucks.