Welcome back to my series on How to Set up a Daily Quiet Time in your home!

As a Mama of four busy kids, I can assure you, you are going to LOVE your daily Quiet Time.

This wasn’t a surprise to me, of course. I knew I would love an hour to myself each afternoon! A whole hour to rest, have a tea, and do whatever I wanted or needed to do? Bliss.

What surprised me was that my children grew to love this time just as much as I did. They needed this time to be their best. The meltdowns and tantrums reduced dramatically—and my children became calmer and happier. 

It turns out that little ones also need time in their day for quiet and calm. During this time of rest, children solidify learning that has taken place during their day, grow their problem-solving skills and independence, and become more self-confident.

Is there anything a daily Quiet Time can’t do?!?

This is precisely why my children don’t use electronics/screens for their Quiet Time. Sure, this period of time would still give me a break, but it does not give my children all of the amazing benefits of a one-hour Quiet Time to rest, recharge and calm. 

The Quiet Time Club (which is currently on sale; check it out right here!) makes Quiet Time as easy as clicking on the TV. Truly! You will have a brand new Quiet Time activity for your child to happily engage in every day. BEST of all, each month only uses five everyday crafting materials.

Each month, you will round up your five supplies (things like stickers, popsicle sticks, and a deck of cards), and you are set for an entire month of engaging, educational, independent play ideas to refresh little minds and rest little bodies during Quiet Time. 

To help you prepare for establishing Quiet Time in your home, I created this three-part series, walking you through the entire Quiet Time process.

Yesterday, we got started with Step One (aptly titled “Getting Started”). After this step, your child will be able to have a 5-minute independent Quiet Time.

Today, we’ll get into Step Two: Setting Expectations. As you grow your child’s quiet time from 5 to 10 minutes, you’ll also want to ensure certain rules and expectations are in place.

So assuming you are eager, pumped, and ready, let’s get right to Step Two!

Step Two: Setting Expectations 

Step Two picks up where Step One left off, with your child able to comfortably have an independent 5-minute period of time to engage in play. Now we are ready to (slowly and carefully) build on this success!

It is also time to sort out the expectations for this period of time. If your child is older, you can decide together. If your child is younger, you can determine what is best yourself.

When setting the expectations for Quiet Time, consider:

• Where will Quiet Time take place? Can your child wander? Do they need to stay in one room? There is no right or wrong answer. It is whatever works for your family, but it needs to be clear to your child.
• What activities can your child engage in during Quiet Time? The daily Quiet Time activity should help your child settle into this period of time. Can they do other activities as well? Books? Puzzles? Any specific toys? Again, this is a family decision that needs to be made clear. I would encourage you to focus on allowing your child’s body to rest during this time, limiting physically active toys. The activities in The Quiet Time Club are perfect for helping little ones settle into their daily Quiet Time. Keeping the daily activity new and only accessible during Quiet Time also helps make this time extra special.
• How long will Quiet Time last? I suggest adding 5 or 10 minutes at a time and waiting until your child comfortably enjoys that length of time before increasing. So, for now, we will increase to 10 minutes of Quiet Time. Setting a visual timer so your child can independently know how much time remains is also extremely helpful!

Once everything is clear for both you and your child, you can begin to grow your Quiet Time.

And there you have it, Step Two is complete!

Thank you so much for reading, and be sure to come back tomorrow for the third and final step in establishing your daily Quiet Time.

Thank you so much for reading, sweet friend,

xo
Sarah