Know-Nothings and Lost Things: How to Help Your Child Get Organized
Know-Nothings and Lost Things: How to Help Your Child Get Organized
Constant chaos in the children’s room, forgotten sports uniforms, lost textbooks, dozens of pens and pencils that disappear without a trace every day along the school-home route.
Many parents complain that their children are extremely messy and disorganized. Today we’ll learn how to teach daughters and sons who have their head in the clouds to be independent.
- Disable “GPS”
As psychotherapist Victoria Pruday notes, the first thing parents who are tired of their children’s carelessness should do is stop reminding them every minute of what they need to do. “At first, the mother repeats every minute: “put on your hat,” “hang up your jacket,” “wash your hands,” and then she wonders why the child did not learn his homework, missed training, or forgot his house keys. His mother just did not remind him of this,” says the psychologist.
- Calendar
Teach your child to use a calendar. Let him mark in a separate colour the days when he goes to certain sections and teachers and finds out when the weekend is. This is the first step towards organizing time independently.
- Daily to-do list
Starting from the age of six or seven, a child can make a list of his own to-dos. This will contribute to the development of organisation and will help him feel important, because we all know how pleasant it is at the end of the day to cross off successfully completed tasks and make plans for the future.
- Reward for success
Positive reinfor-cement of new habits works very well, so it is important to praise for success in completing daily tasks. A trip to the cinema together or a small gift after summing up the week’s achievements will be additional motivation for your child.
- Tools for organization
A convenient storage system for toys, stationery, and textbooks will help the student maintain order both in the room and in the head. Keep two folders with stickers “Homework. Needs to be done” and “Homework. Ready!” A board where you can write with chalk or a marker will be an additional place where the child will leave himself a reminder of the most important things.
- Family planning
Let your child actively participate in family activities, such as making a shopping list, weekly menu, preparing recipes and sorting laundry. These simple household chores teach concentration and the ability to follow a specific plan.
- Bugs
Only those who do nothing make no mistakes. Children need to understand the consequences of their disorganization. There is no need to run to school with your child’s sports uniform, which he forgets for every physical education lesson. “Give children the opportunity to become their own navigators. Every year the ability to be independent and organized will be more and more useful to them. A little patience and everything will work out!” – psychotherapist Victoria Pruday advises parents.
