Does it seem like every day there is something your child is missing or forgetting? These are the woes of parenthood across the country! But if you feel like your child is chronically disorganized, this may be doing more harm than good for them in their academic and social life. See if any of these tips and tricks listed below can help your kid stay better prepared and organized so they can take a breath and feel less stressed.
Organizing Schoolwork
Most parents will agree that their children are never organized when it comes to their homework and schoolwork. Many kids struggle to keep their different subjects separate and organized, and may even miss assignments or misplace their homework due to it. Depending on their workload, having a different binder or folder for each subject can help kids keep their homework separate and safe. They can even color-code their binders or folders for each subject so they can quickly see where it is and grab it and go!
Using A Calendar
Nothing beats the good old fashioned method of using a calendar to keep yourself organized. Whether your child wants a planner, or a calendar they can hang up in their room or in your family’s kitchen, they can use it to keep themselves on top of extra-curricular activities, as well as when they have upcoming tests or projects due. If they have a cell phone, they can also use the calendar there to help them keep track of every day assignments and even the fun stuff to help them stay on top of their schoolwork so they can enjoy the weekend activities too!
To Do Lists
You can even help them develop To-Do Lists if that helps them stay on track easier. They can create To Do lists on their phone for daily homework and tasks, or use a weekly list. You can help them revisit the To Do list each week and see what got done, as well as what needs to carry over to the following week to get done. Be sure to include deadlines on some of the tasks that may be getting skipped or not completed to ensure your child gets the items taken care of in a timely manner. Things come up and not everything can get done right away, but show your child the importance of completing tasks as quickly as possible and to not keep putting things off, even if they seem difficult.
These organization skills can help your child (and even you!) stay on task and maintain a healthy and balanced life!
Katie Kyzivat