Restoring Routines After The Festive Season
By Kim Narrandes
As the festive season winds down, many parents find themselves facing the annual challenge of getting the whole family back into a routine. As an events professional I try to use my skillset to help ease the stress and rush at home with strategy, structure, and a touch of creativity.
The holidays are great—for about a week. Then the glitter goes in places glitter has no right to be, the children refuse to wear anything that isn’t a costume, and your once-ordered days look like confetti exploded inside a calendar. Good news: routines are not joyless prisons. They’re superpowers that help kids—and drained parents—feel safe, sleep better, and actually get out the door. Here’s an event planner’s guide to helping kids of all ages slide back into the rhythm after a break.
Why routines matters
Routines reset biological and emotional clocks. Prioritizing consistent bed and wake times improves mood, attention, and learning. Experts recommend making any shifts in sleep patterns gradual—think 10–15 minutes earlier every few days, rather than a one-night shock to the system.
A step-by-step plan that won’t make you cry
Start early—but not like a drill sergeant
Begin 7–14 days before school or normal childcare resumes. Move bedtimes and wake times earlier in small increments, practice the morning routine once or twice, and reintroduce packed-lunch or homework-time habits. Slow and steady wins here.
Make sleep sacred
Create a calm bedtime routine: screens off 30–60 minutes before lights out; wind-down activities—books, bath, breathing; and a dark, cool room. Limiting evening screen time also helps emotional regulation and can make mornings smoother. For older kids, involve them in choosing the wind-down ritual so that they actually stick to it.
Visuals, timers, and tiny experts
Younger kids love a picture schedule that shows: breakfast → brush teeth → shoes → go. Timers are magical for making transitions feel concrete not confrontational, just set one for five minutes more and then it’s time to move onto the next step. Practicing your morning routine a few times in advance helps reduce the chaos on day one.
Give them ownership
Montessori wisdom reminds us that children need to develop independence and when kids can do small tasks themselves mornings are faster and confidence soars. Let them choose their socks, pack their snack, or set the alarm—with supervision.
Emotion first, logistics second—I currently live in this space!
Acknowledge post-holiday blues or back-to-school nerves. Ask, listen, and normalize worries. Small mindfulness breaths, a predictable check-in each evening, or a “best thing from today” round can make transitions emotionally smoother. Some days are harder than others and sometimes letting go of the check-list to just take a minute is fundamental to getting back on track.
Unlike events where every line item gets marked off with a tick, the real-life checklist is more about small, consistent steps. The goal isn’t military precision—it’s a less frantic, more functional, household that still has the energy for bedtime stories.
About the Author
Kim is a mother of one whose journey has taken her from the fast-paced boardrooms of Dubai to full-time motherhood in Bangkok. Before founding an agency and consulting for some of the world’s leading firms, she served as Head of MARCOMs, overseeing Atlantis and The Royal resorts. Since then, she’s applied her expertise, through NGO volunteer work, supporting meaningful causes.