You just found out your fourth grader forgot his second math homework assignment in two weeks. He can’t find his folders, and he’s always misplacing his pencils. What can you do to help him get organized?
While experts say that some children are naturally organized, the reality is that organization doesn’t come easily for most children. As a parent, however, you can help your child create a personalized organizational system that he or she can easily understand.
Consider the following tips to help your child down the path to organization:
- Create boundaries. Set aside a designated area in your home for homework and work together to select a homework time after school.
- Set a good example. If you are organized, your child is more likely to be organized as well.
- Start early. Even toddlers can begin putting away their own toys and understanding that everything should have a proper space.
- Work with your child’s personality. If your child is very verbal, then label where specific items belong or keep a list-based system. If he is very visual, then consider a color-coded system.
“As a parent, you should focus on being an organizational coach; offer good advice and a simple system, but let your child make the final decision on what works best for him,” explains Jill Isenberg, PhD, psychologist on staff at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. “For example, take your child to the office supply store and let him select his own planner and folders. If your child has a sense of ownership in the system, it will be easier for him to follow it.”
Building Success
Once your child becomes more organized, you may notice some improvement in his performance at school. It’s normal—in fact, experts agree that children who are organized tend to do better in school.
“From a teacher’s perspective, a classroom must be organized, so it only makes sense that organized students do better,” says Diane Tolen, schoolteacher for St. Louis Children’s Hospital. “Children who are organized tend to be more self-confident and have a greater sense of independence.”