Noticing how routines can help someone feel calm, organised, and ready for the day.
Exploring why predictable steps can feel safe and reassuring.
Considering how following familiar rules can help someone feel confident.
Thinking about how people might feel when a routine changes.
Exploring that there are many ways to enjoy a day, not one correct way.
Emmet Brickowski wakes up in Bricksburg. Emmet reads an instruction booklet that lists numbered steps for fitting in and being happy. He follows each step in order: breathing, exercising, showering, eating breakfast, and greeting his neighbours. Everyone in Bricksburg does the same routine, obeys the rules, and sings 'Everything Is Awesome'. Emmet drives to work obeying every traffic sign, just like everyone around him.
• What did you notice about how Emmet started his day?
• How did Emmet seem to feel about following the steps in his instruction book?
• Do you have steps or a routine you like to follow each day?
• What is your favourite part of your own daily routine?
• How might Emmet feel if the routine changed?
• How do you feel when your usual routine has to change?
• What might happen when two people like very different routines?
• Is there a new thing you might like to try in your daily routines?
The questions within this guide are designed to open dialogue and facilitate discussion around the relevant topics. It is up to the user to adapt as needed to best suit the person they are supporting. A neuroaffirming approach was central to the design of these resources and remains essential to their application. This means recognising and respecting the diverse ways people think, communicate, and experience the world, ensuring all conversations are led with curiosity, respect, and without judgement. These resources are a starting point. Trust your knowledge of the person you are supporting to shape the conversation from there.
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