Why Routines Feel Harder in January
January can be a bit of a grind in childcare. Attendance shifts, winter gear slows everything down, and some days just take more patience than others. Even routines that usually run smoothly can feel harder.
This does not mean anything is wrong. January simply brings more variables into the day, and everyday care routines often feel that first.
Below are a few simple, practical ways educators often make daily care routines feel more manageable during the winter months.
1. Keep things familiar
When a lot feels unpredictable, familiarity matters.
Sticking to the same routine steps, even when things take longer, helps infants and toddlers know what to expect. Familiar routines can be grounding, especially when attendance changes or daily rhythms feel less consistent.
January is not the time to reinvent care routines. Repeating what children already know can help the day feel more settled for everyone.
2. Give routines a little more time
You already know that winter layers and lower energy can slow transitions down.
In January, it can help to remind families of this too, especially around drop-off and pick-up. A simple note letting parents know that routines may take a bit more time can help set expectations and prevent rushed, stressful transitions.
When everyone understands that January may move at a slightly slower pace, care routines tend to feel calmer and more manageable.
3. Follow the child’s lead during care routines
January can bring lower energy and less patience for many children.
Some days, children may want to participate more during care routines. Other days, they may need extra support. Letting children take part when they are ready and stepping in when they are not can help routines feel smoother without turning them into a power struggle.
Participation does not need to look the same every day to be meaningful.
4. Narrate routine steps more than usual
Talking through what is coming next can help children stay oriented when routines feel harder.
Simple, familiar language like “boots off, then socks, then we wash hands” helps make transitions feel predictable, even when they take longer than usual. This kind of narration can be especially helpful during diapering, dressing, and bathroom routines in winter.
Clear verbal cues give children something steady to follow when the pace of the day slows.
5. Expect diapering and potty routines to look different day to day
January often brings more variability in diapering and potty routines.
Some children may want to try more independently one day and need extra support the next. That back-and-forth is common during the winter months and does not mean routines are not working or that progress is being lost.
Consistency does not mean everything looks the same every day. It means responding with flexibility while keeping routines familiar.
6. Be open about January routines with families
Care routines do not stop at the classroom door.
Sharing what routines look like in the classroom and acknowledging that January can feel different can help families better understand what their child is experiencing during the day. A short note or reminder that routines may take longer in winter can go a long way in setting expectations and reducing pressure at drop-off and pick-up.
Clear, simple communication helps families feel informed and supports more consistent routines between home and daycare.
7. Introduce new routines in small, repeatable steps
January is often when new routines are introduced or adjusted, especially with changing groups or schedules.
When setting up a new routine, it can help to break it into clear, repeatable steps and focus on just one part at a time. For diapering and potty routines, that might mean practicing the same sequence each day before adding expectations around participation or independence.
Starting small gives children time to understand what comes next and helps new routines settle more smoothly.
Finally, If routines feel harder in January, you are not alone. This time of year asks for flexibility, patience, and a little grace for children, families, and educators alike.
Sometimes the most supportive thing we can do is slow down, lean into what is familiar, and trust that consistency does not have to mean perfection.
Bonus: Support for Daycare Classrooms
Together Classrooms is currently offering the Pampers Big Little Wins classroom program.
The program was created to support diapering and potty routines in daycare classrooms while improving communication between educators and families.