Back to School: Four Tips to Get Organized

Kids are famous for having a lack of organization. Dealing with lost homework, crinkled papers, and forgotten permission slips can be frustrating. Some kids are natural organizers, but most kids have to be taught.

As you wage the organization and back to school battle with your teen or tween, here are some parenting tips to help you both muddle through the process.

Organizing Kids For School

• Teach the benefits of a to-do list. Help your child organize tasks in different categories such as homework, sports, projects, etc. Encourage him to cross items off the list as they are completed.
• Buy color-coded folders. As simple as it may seem, kids associate colors with subjects, and color-coded folders may make it easier to put papers and assignments into the appropriate folder.
• Always put things in the same place. If your child is continually losing her calculator, designate a special spot in her backpack to put it. Make sure that it always goes in that spot without fail.
• Use a school planner, homework chart, or organizer. Write down homework assignments as they are assigned and mark them as completed when they're done. Encourage your child to write down assignments and any other notes right away, not at the end of class or after school. There are many planners available, so find one that fits your child's needs.

With a little help, your child will be on the road to better organization when he goes back to school. If these techniques do not work, talk to your child's teacher or other resource professional at school. Sometimes there are underlying reasons for disorganization that need to be addressed.