Shifting from the summer days of sleeping in and hanging out in the backyard, to six-hour days of school and homework, can be jarring. But with a few strategies for organization with your kids and in your household, you’ll find everyone in your house working smarter.
Landing Pad
“A place for everything and everything in its place,” is a smart mantra – particularly when it comes to school items. One of the most frequent causes of school day stress for your kids is not being able to find what they need when they’re getting ready in the morning.
Prevent stress and keep the house neater by creating a “landing pad” – a spot where kids can stash their school gear. Then encourage them to empty and store lunch boxes, and hang up backpacks as soon as they walk in the door. Mornings will run smoother and your child will arrive at school in a ready-to-learn frame of mind.
Homework Central
Establishing a specific location for working on schoolwork sets your child up for success. A desk, computer nook or kitchen counter can function as a homework space. Just make sure you have supplies such as pens, pencils, rulers and erasers nearby to prevent excuses for not getting to work. A basket of supplies can easily be pulled out for homework, and then tucked away in a cupboard after it’s done.
Paper Chase
Permission slips, calendars, reminders and teacher notes can accumulate at a rapid rate, especially early in the school year. Before these turn into an avalanche or you find yourself on an early morning paper chase for a form that’s due, set up a system for dealing with the influx. Fill out and return forms by the next day, whenever possible. Enter dates immediately on the calendar. File away other paperwork in a single folder, or pin it to a bulletin board. Whatever your system, keep it simple and consistent.
As British-Irish statesman Edmund Burke once said, “Good order is the foundation of all things.” This includes a solid school year.
