Getting Kids Organized for School

Have you ever noticed how easily it is for children to get overwhelmed once school is back in session? Part of the reason is that they need to get used to doing school work again after the long summer holiday. Another part is due to children having a tendency to give up on something once it has proven to be difficult. Getting kids organized for school can go a long way to helping them actually perform better in their school work. In addition to that, kids that are more organized have a better chance of getting all of their work done, and not becoming overwhelmed in the process. All you need to do is follow a few simple guidelines, and you will find just how simple of a process it really is.

• Work area. Every child should have an area that can be dedicated to working in. This doesn't need to be anything large, or overly grand. Rather, it can be something as simple as the kitchen table. The main thing is that this work area needs to be away from any television or video games which can provide a huge distraction.
• Bags and backpacks. One of the keys for getting kids organized for school is to develop a routine in regards to their bags or backpacks. Ideally, they need to pick a single location where they will place their bags when they get home. This location needs to be the same place each and every day, that way they will know where they can find their bag when they want it. In addition, part of the routine should be that they empty the bags and give their parents the papers from that day.
• Work time. No child likes to get right back to work when they get home, but they still need to have a set time to do their home work. Set up a schedule that will allow the child to have not only a little bit of time to decompress, have fun, and recharge their mental batteries, but also to get their work done.
• To-Do List. To-do lists have the power to be a great tool for anyone that wants to be more organized, and this includes children as well. This to-do list should be made up of tasks that the child needs to accomplish, and be placed in a location that they will see frequently. Some places that this list could be placed in are areas like the refrigerator, their room, their homework area, or simply any place that they will frequent.
• Calendars. Wall calendars are another great tool that can help get children organized for school. If at all possible, use one that is for an entire month, and have it placed in the same area as your child's to-do list. On this calendar list everything that will be affecting the child for the next month. This will help the child keep in mind what their schedule is like, and how to better manage their time.