Routine helps children adjust to school, but harsh parenting may undo benefits. Parents in rural, low-income households with strong family routines reported fewer problem behaviors and ADHD symptoms from their children. However, higher levels of harsh or aggressive parenting diminished the benefits.

Children who come from households with well-established routines display fewer behavioral problems during the transition to school, but harsh parenting can undermine the advantages that routine provides, according to a new study co-led by Penn State researchers.