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Help Your Child Get Organized

Any kid worth his or her salt will generate a little chaos and disorganization. Yours might tear through the house leaving a trail of toys, backpacks, shoes, and empty drink cups. Or flit from one thing to the next - forgetting books at school, leaving towels on the floor, and failing to finish projects once started. You'd like your child to be more organized and to stay focused on tasks, such as homework. Is it possible?

Yes, it is. A few kids seem naturally organized, but for the rest of them, organization is a skill learned over time. Does your child seem especially resistant to living in an orderly way? With your help and some practice, your child can develop an effective approach to getting stuff done. And you are the perfect person to teach your child, even if you don't feel all that organized yourself!

Easy as 1-2-3

For kids, all tasks can be broken down into a 1-2-3 process.

1. Getting organized means a kid gets where he or she needs to be and gathers the supplies needed to complete the task.

2. Staying focused means sticking with the task and learning to say "no" to distractions.

3. Getting it done means finishing up, checking your work, and putting on the finishing touches, like remembering to put a homework paper in the right folder and putting the folder inside the backpack so it's ready for the next day.

Once your child knows these steps - and learns how to apply them - he or she can start tackling tasks more independently. That means homework, chores, and other tasks will get done with increasing consistency and efficiency. Of course, he or she will still need your help and guidance, but you probably won't have to nag as much.

Not only is it practical to teach these skills, but knowing how to get stuff done will help your child feel more competent and effective. Kids feel self-confident and proud when they're able to accomplish their tasks and responsibilities. They're also sure to be pleased when they find they have some extra free time to do what they'd like to do.
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