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| GETTING ORGANIZED |
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Getting organized. It's a struggle for all of us. Kristin White del Rosso,
Owner of Pea Organizing Services here in Charlotte has the following tips to help.
You can visit her web site at ThePea.com
for more useful information and oranizing links.
10 Pea Pointers - Tips for Teaching Children How to OrganizeŠ Grand Central Station. Keep a large calendar posted in a common area of your home. Use different colored markers for each family member or to differentiate activities. Involve your children in this from the start. Time Out. Use a timer to keep track of homework breaks (or homework time) or pre-bedtime activities. We often say "only five more minutes" and then come back thirty minutes later making everyone later to bed. Be Prepared. Set a side a specific area for school supplies and sports equipment to eliminate unnecessary delays in completing homework and getting to games. This is especially helpful to keep cleats and sport shoes separate for each family member. Pick Your Battles. Give your child one drawer or useful area in the house to be disorganized. This gives them enough space to express their need for messiness. Part of their room can be used as well. Labels for Tots. Label boxes and crates with the name of the item that should be housed there. For toddlers cut out a picture of the toy or clothing. Allow your children to help with labeling by using colorful markers, stickers or computer labels. No Overdue Books. Find or put up a shelf in a coat closet and label the items required to return to school regularly (library books, homework, etc.). These can be mounted to a wall or the inside of the door and do not have to take up value counter or furniture space. Pictionary Practice. For younger children, trace their hand and cut it out of construction paper. Write items, which they must take to school each morning so they know what should be in their hands when leaving the house. Examples include lunch bags and show and tell items. Teachers Teach. Ask you children's teachers for suggestions. Parents often say "my child won't do that". But they do it at school for their teachers because teachers make it fun and interesting and because teachers know they are the authority figure at all times. You are the authority figure and child's teacher as well. Love Begins at Home. It's never to early to teach your children the importance of empathy and giving to others. For children who fight giving up their toys, having them actually work with you and give the items out themselves can really make a difference. Never Give Up. Do not let resistance stop you from achieving the balance you plan for yourself. People learn from experiences and watching what others in their circle do. Ask most people where they got their great 'work ethic' and they'll say their parents. On the other hand, it is more difficult to do what you have not seen done by others. |
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The first step to wisdom is silence; the second is
listening.
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