The Organized Student – create a designated study space for school success

After you’ve considered and established your student’s daily routine, it’s time to create an efficient study space to maximize your child’s study routine.

If you want to raise successfully organized students, you must give them the tools they need to succeed. A proper study space, that is both comfortable and fully stocked with school supplies, is essential to get kids motivated for after-school studying.

Start by deciding where your kids will do homework. Involve them – ask where they prefer to study, considering their age and independence level. Do they like the privacy and quiet of a desk in their bedroom? Or do they want to be near you in a centrally located area such as the kitchen or family room? It’s also important to consider your child’s learning style and ability to focus. Given the choice, my daughter would study in front of the TV, but I know that doesn’t work for her with all the added distractions. Whether she likes it or not, I know that for her to be successful, she needs to do her schoolwork in a quiet area with minimal distractions. Students need to understand that although parents will consider their preferences, the parent may make the final decision on the most effective study space.

Once you decide on the best study space for your child’s learning style, maturity level and routine, make sure it’s well stocked with supplies. If your child has a desk, you may choose to organize supplies inside the drawers or in containers on top of it.  Make sure to categorize, containerize and label items (such as writing utensils in one area, paper in another) so the desktop and drawers don’t become chaotic catch-alls.

For those that study outside their bedrooms, create a portable office. This will allow them to work anywhere inside (or even outside) your home. A tackle box or any type of small storage box (even a shoebox) will do. For storing school papers, like graded tests, handouts, etc. I like small desktop file boxes like the Show Off by Sterilite. Notice the lid with handle that allows for easy mobility.

Fill the portable supply box with supplies such as pens, pencils, sharpeners, crayons markers, highlighters, colored pencils, glue sticks, scissors, tape stapler, paper clips, ruler, calculator, sticky notes, paper, and any other supplies that your child frequently uses. Keep an age-appropriate dictionary and Thesaurus handy. Also consider keeping small stock of rarely needed but important project accessories, such as report covers and poster board.

At the end of each study session, remind your students to put away any home supplies they used and pack up their school materials so they’re ready for the next day’s use. Teach them to make a list of items that need replenishing. Maintain consistency but allow for flexibility for happy and confident kids!

Suggested tools:

Task clips:

Informative File Folders:

To Do Notepad:

Originally posted 2009-09-04 16:29:10. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Form a family team with age-appropriate chores

What age do you think that kids should start contributing to household chores?
Kids of all ages can and should be taught by their parents the value of organizing and cleaning up after themselves. If parents teach them in an age-appropriate, structured way, it’s a value that will stick with them throughout their lives and help them to be successful.

Parents can teach their kids by establishing regular routines for other things, like bedtimes, meals and chores. Kids will soon learn what is expected of them and it won’t seem like work to them. If you have multiple kids, you can even assign tasks according to their ages. In my home, we use the “Mom Can I Help Around the House” chore system. The idea is really simple. Each of my kids has a personalized chore binder assigned to them. Each chore is clearly written so they understand what they need to do. They are expected to complete their chores between Friday after school through Sunday at noon. Each of my kids learns to manage their time, set goals, experiences the satisfaction of accomplishing a task and is praised for their efforts. All without my having to “nag” them!

Here are some chores your children can do for their specific age group:

Kids under 6 should be able to these chores:

• Pick up their toys.
• Hang up coats and put shoes away.
• Set the dinner table.

Kids over 6 can (and should) help with:

• Help with laundry
• Clear used dinner items after meals and help with washing dishes.
• Help with caring for pets.

As your children grow, add responsibilities to your children(s)’ chore folder that include more steps and instructions. Be sure to praise them along the way and give them every opportunity to succeed. Keep in mind that you’re not doing them any favors if you follow behind your children and correct their work. In the real world, this won’t be done for them. Give them real world exposure by providing feedback and have them correct less than acceptable work. This teaches them, above all else, a sense of responsibility and accomplishment for a job well done. You will be able to maintain a cleaner home and your children will have learned valuable skills that will last a lifetime.

Originally posted 2008-09-29 06:28:25. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Organizing Small Spaces – Lovely Organized Laundry Rooms

So far in my weekly Organizing Small Spaces series I’ve addressed your home’s entry way and bathrooms. The third installment in the series is about organizing your laundry room.

Do you dread visiting your laundry room? Maybe you’d have more fun sorting your whites if the space was more organized!  Here are a few tips for making it a pleasant and inviting atmosphere.

There’s no reason a laundry room has to be dark and dingy. Paint the walls a light, happy color. Make sure to use the maximum-allowed bulb wattage in your light fixtures. Add task lighting, as needed, some inexpensive, framed artwork to the walls, and a clock or timer.

If you need more storage space, add a couple of rows of shelving above the washer/dryer. Keep laundry necessities – such as detergent, stain removal pens, fabric softener, an iron, starch, and bleach – within easy reach so you can grab and go. Use baskets and boxes (labeled of course) to hold not-as-frequently used things such as clothespins, old rags, and your pile of missing-a-mate socks. If you prefer hidden storage, install some inexpensive cabinets on one wall (available at any home improvement store).

Drying racks are nice if you enjoy line-drying your clothes. There is even a variety of wall-mounted, fold-out options available that will save floor space.

To make laundry day easier for everyone, implement a laundry sorter/hamper and teach your family to place whites in a white basket or hamper and darks in a colored basket. Our laundry sorter has been a life-saver. I’ve taught my kids to use it religiously. If they don’t get their laundry in the sorter it doesn’t get washed. I recommend purchasing or constructing a laundry sorter that is very sturdy – don’t try a cheap one.  If you prefer that you kids have their own laundry basket, the collapsible kind is preferred – it takes up less room and can be flattened and slid under a bed or between furniture when empty. This type is great for dorm rooms and apartments too.

Do you battle the piles of unsorted socks in your home? To get dressed in the morning, do your kids have to go fishing in the abis of unsorted socks to find a matching pair. That used to be our story. But I found Loc-A-Soks. With Loc-A-Soks (also called Sock-a-Locs) you’ll never have to sort socks again, because a pair is matched before going into the laundry, and a pair stays matched together with Loc-A-Sok gripper through the entire laundry process.  Kids love the bright colors and find it fun to stick their socks in the grippers.

If you dry clean frequently, add a separate basket for dry cleaning, preferably close to the door where you leave the house. Having the basket there will be a reminder as you are leaving the house.

Place clean, folded laundry in color-coded or labeled laundry baskets. Have family members retrieve their baskets from the laundry room, or deliver them to their rooms, so they can put away their own stuff. Remember … many hands make light work!

For more tips and ideas about getting kids to help with laundry and other household chores, learn about our household chore system, Mom, Can I Help Around the House.

Originally posted 2010-07-02 13:54:13. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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