We all have felt the overwhelming feeling you get when all of your kids come home from their first day of school and they EACH hand you a huge stack of papers and forms to fill out and sign. Thoughts swarm our mind: Did I sign all of them? Did I lose one? Did I miss the date? This is why it’s so important to be organized! Here are some tips to help you and your kids get and stay organized all year:
1. Create a space for work. For you and your kids to work efficiently, you’ll need a clean space to do so. Have it stocked with plenty of pencils, pens, markers, tape, and other tools you and your kids use on a weekly basis. Keep this space clean and organized!
2. Keep a detailed calendar. Everyone needs to keep a clear and detailed calendar! Whether it’s large and in your kitchen, or small and in a notebook, keeping a calendar will help you keep up with important dates and deadlines. Your kids learn by watching you, so seeing you keep your calendar will invite their own interest in keeping one, too.
3. Meal prep! Making food for lunches and dinners ahead of time will keep your evenings clear of any heavy work. Meal prepping also keeps you eating the healthy food you make at home instead of settling for takeout if you are too tired to cook.
4. Drop zone. Create a “drop zone” in your house for backpacks. If you always put your pack in the same spot, you’ll always know where it is. Fear not on those busy Monday mornings, their backpacks are in the drop zone!
5. Clean out your closets during the summer. To avoid a 30-minute wardrobe change every morning, go through yours and your kids closet with them every summer. Try on everything and if it doesn’t fit, donate it to a local shelter or recycled clothing store. Don’t forget to try jackets, coats, and shoes as well!
6. Set up a chore chart. Keeping your home clean is no easy feat. Create a chore chart where everyone’s responsibility is clear. No single person should be doing most of the cleaning in the house!
7. Set guidelines for screen time. Everyone has heard that screen time melts your brain. It’s true. Well, it doesn’t exactly MELT your brain, but it doesn’t grow it. When children read or play outside and with their friends, they make certain connections in their brains that won’t occur watching tv or playing video games. Don’t let them stay in the mindset of a second grader by playing video games all day.
8. Have family time. Having dinner with your family (without phones at the table) will give you and your family more fulfillment than anything. Family time is essential! Sharing ideas, feelings, and thoughts in a safe space allows children to explore boundaries and set their own. Be supportive and guide them to the right decisions instead of telling them what to do. They need to learn, not obey.
