Teaching Kids How to Organize: Part 2

When children start school, organization and time management skills become more important.  Now children must adhere to a schedule, be on-time and assume responsibility for keeping track of their school assignments and their belongings.  If your child is already accustomed to a routine and the concept of “a place for everything and everything in its place,” her transition to school will be easier for both of you.   

Helping Your Child Develop Organizational Skills

Age 5 - 8:  Encourage Independence

• Get creative with organizing products.  Look for some organizing products made just for kids.  Kids will be more motivated to use fun products that play into their interests. How about feeding their dirty clothes to the lions?  This adorable, Lester Lion - Hungry Hamper will encourage your animal-loving child to feed him daily (available from Target for $19.99).

Mounting a peg-rack in your child’s room will give him a place to hang his backpack, pajamas or jacket.  Check out this wood, baseball bat peg-rack with leather-wrapped handle.  Bet it would enthrall your little sports lover (available at Pottery Barn Kids for $69).  If it’s on the rack, it’s off the floor - and that’s the whole idea! 

A Days-of-the-Week closet organizer is perfect for planning a week’s worth of clothing in advance for your fashion diva, or planning for days your child needs gym clothes for Phys Ed or a recorder for Music.  Buy this days-of-the-week organizer in primary colors from Avon for $14.99, or check out the pastel days-of-the-week organizer for your princess at Lillian Vernon for $19.98.  To make her closet even more functional, hang a second clothes rod from the upper rod so your child can reach her clothes and hang them up.  The key is to make organizing fun and easy to do. 

• Transfer some responsibility.  Add chores and some self-care tasks to their morning, afternoon and evening routines.  Have your child lay out his clothes, prepare for the next day and pack his backpack the night before.  By the age of 5, your child can throw her dirty clothes in the hamper, clean up her toys independently, set the table (placements, napkins and silverware) and put her clean clothes away.  By age 8, your child can probably brush her own teeth (monitor her occasionally), bathe or shower, clear the dirty dishes from the table, hang clothes in her closet and straighten her own bed.

• Let go of your perfectionism.  As your child takes over chores and gains more responsibility, show her what you expect and offer guidance in the beginning - then let go.  Have reasonable expectations.  Your child’s bed will not be as neat and tucked as when you make it.  Learn to live with good enough.  Let them know you appreciate their efforts when they handle their chores independently.  The point is to make them feel confident and proud that they are ready to handle some things on their own. 

• Establish limits for their stuff.  Several times a year, assist your child in sorting through her clothing, toys and belongings.  Explain to your child that staying organized means that sometimes we have to pass on things that we have outgrown or no longer use to make room in our space for the new.  Consider allowing your child to sell the purged items in a garage sale and keep the money earned toward new clothing or something special for her room.  Or if your child has a younger cousin or neighbor, she may feel better about giving up her belongings if she knows they will be enjoyed by someone she knows.  If your child is a collector, establish ahead of time how and where the collection will be displayed.  When the collection reaches the confines you set, implement the “one-in-one-out” rule.  She can only add to the collection if she passes on her least favorite piece to make room.  Teaching children these skills will help prevent them from developing clutter issues later in life.

During this phase, your child should become accustomed to following a daily routine with little or no direction.  In kindergarten or first grade, most teachers begin assigning homework tasks, so hopefully you’ve established a homework area and a regular homework time with your child.  As your child gains independence, increase her level of responsibility, and she will rise to the challenge.  Check back for the final installment in this series on kids and organization - developing organizational skills with kids ages 9 - 12.

For more tips on organizing with kids, see Organize Your Household for Back-to-School: Communications Central, Back-to-School: Organizing the Entry or Hall, Back-to-School: Setting Up a Homework Area, and Teaching Kids Time Management.   

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