A cuckoo clock has been in my family for generations. After over 150 years, it was time for a full restoration.

When the clock repairman brought it to my house, he secured the clock to the wall and pulled on the weights. The tick-tock sound began. He said, “There, now your house has a heartbeat.”

His words touched my heart.

I thought about how our hearts have a rhythm, about the movement of our breath, and the stability we can find in this rhythmic predictability. From sunrise to sunset, to moonrise and moonset, we see evidence of the perfect order of the cosmos.

This brings me to my topic this week. It’s the value of routine.

Children need order. Not in a stale, boring sense, but as a comforting pattern that allows for both consistency and spontaneity.

Children with a consistent bedtime feel more secure. Those with a bedtime ritual sleep better. Studies show better cognitive performance and decreased behavioral troubles.

Children who eat with regularity stay healthier and enjoy improved digestion.

Yes, this inherent rhythm is accessible. It helps us feel happier and more secure.

Children who grow up with a sense of disorder in their home may miss the reassurance order brings.

Most of us experience enough chaos from the outside world without marinating in it at home.

What can help you or your children build the container of order in their lives?