Seven Ways To Help Your Child Get Organized

Here are 7 practical ways to help your child get organized and responsible today.  It’s a win-win scenario because as they become more organized, the household runs smoother, stress decreases, and you can enjoy each other more (less nagging and fewer excuses). 

Master Calendar

Use a large whiteboard, along with a digital Daily Planner to show your child how to think ahead. While paper planners work for some kids, if your child doesn’t write it accurately, then it loses effectiveness. Many schools have online apps where students can check on assignments and access information from their teachers. Additional apps are available such as ClickUp, Todoist, MyStudyLife, Studyo, Microsoft To Do, iStudiez Pro, myHomework, Google Calendar, or Power Planner. Encourage your child to use these tools to track assignments, project due dates, and extracurricular activities.

The use of a daily planner helps kids visualize what they have to do and when assignments are due, as well as providing a time organizer. When they can see everything all in one place, it simplifies the task of planning and prioritizing time. Many kids feel they do not have enough time for everything, and this stress can stifle even the best of students into a non-productive cycle. Show your child how to type or write everything down, including dates and times that are relevant. Only then can the tasks be prioritized.

Create Consistent and Workable Daily Routines

Stress decreases when we know what to expect. Children thrive in an environment with predictability and structure. Establish a consistent daily routine that includes designated times for homework, chores, and recreational activities. This routine can help your child develop time management skills and create a sense of order in their day-to-day life.

Include daily and weekly routines on the master calendar. Perhaps your child does best with a vigorous morning walk or time to swing before breakfast. Or, your child needs a morning shower to wake up. After school, your child may need chill time to relax and have a snack before starting homework. Maybe your child needs time to listen to relaxing music before bedtime. Experiment to find what types of activities your child responds best to, and what time of day gives them optimal results. When you find something that definitely helps them, even if it is 5-morning laps in the community pool, build it into the daily schedule. Childhood is the best time to build healthy life habits, and watching cartoons in the morning is not going to help them in the long run. On the other hand, a weekly purge of unnecessary papers from their backpacks can be very useful today and in the future.

Schedule Breaks and Motivators

All of us are motivated by something, and we treat ourselves to both minor and major accomplishments.  Kids need brain breaks and attainable goals to stay motivated. When they understand why they have to do something and they see the light at the end of the tunnel, tasks feel more manageable. Breaks can be short; even 3 to 5 minutes every hour can make a big difference. The routine becomes predictable, and that decreases stress. 

Choose brain break activities wisely and work together with your child to determine what will work best for your child. If they love Minecraft, create a maze, sticker page, or a mad-lib that uses characters or visuals from that game content. Breaks need to be activities with a clearly delineated time frame to make it easy for kids to transition back to what they need to spend quality time on. If your child struggles with pulling themselves away from video games, then that is not a good option for brain breaks; however, the subject matter may be motivating enough to transfer to a more appropriate activity that takes only a few minutes to complete. If your child needs movement breaks and physical activity, create an obstacle course or relay for them to complete in under 3 minutes. This will provide their brain with increased energy and promote better focus.

Use Visual Timers: Teach them how to read an Analog Clock

Over the past 3 decades as a pediatric occupational therapist, I have observed how many kids miss out on learning how to read an analog clock because so much of our world is digital. The value of the analog clock is the visual it provides, which helps kids grasp the concept of time. Without an awareness of time, learning to manage time becomes overwhelming. Time management is a critical organizational skill. 

Go over each item on their to-do list for the day, and have them estimate how long they think it will take them to complete each task. Then, help them time how long it actually takes. It can surprise them that some tasks go relatively quick, and others take longer than they think.  Encourage your child to use tools like timers or smartphone apps to help them allocate their time wisely. By setting time limits for activities and tasks, your child can learn to prioritize and manage their time more effectively. It also helps them learn to transition between tasks more readily, putting an end to the “just one more minute” dilemma. Being able to switch gears readily is a life skill.

Establish an Uncluttered Work Zone

An organized environment is key to fostering an organized mindset. Teach your child the importance of decluttering by setting aside time to clean and organize their living space. Help them sort through their belongings, identifying items to keep, donate, or discard. This process can be a valuable lesson in letting go of unnecessary clutter and maintaining an organized space. Spend 5 minutes each day decluttering the work zone. Designate a specific area in your home as the "homework zone." This space should be free from distractions and fully equipped with the necessary supplies, like pens, paper, and a computer if needed. Having a dedicated workspace can help your child focus on their schoolwork and maintain an organized approach to their studies. Avoid high-traffic areas, and minimize both visual and auditory distractions. Sound can create clutter for the mind, so experiment with noise-canceling headphones and white noise.

Break Tasks into Smaller Steps

Large tasks or assignments can feel overwhelming for many kids. Teach them to break down projects into smaller, manageable chunks. By creating a checklist of these steps, your child can tackle the project more effectively, reducing stress, increasing self-confidence, and promoting better organization. Setting goals is essential for motivation and organization. Work with your child to set realistic short-term and long-term goals. These goals can be related to school, extracurricular activities, or personal development. Tracking progress toward these goals can instill a sense of purpose and organization.

Be a Role Model

Children learn by example, so demonstrate good organizational habits in your own life. Show them how you manage your schedule, keep your home organized, and prioritize your responsibilities. Your actions can serve as a powerful teaching tool. If this does not come naturally to you, you are not alone. A good resource is “Organizing for the Rest of Us” by Dana K White.

Kimberley Arnett-DeSimone, a career pediatric occupational therapist in Huntersville, North Carolina, authored this post.