It’s about that time – much to their own dismay, the summer is ending, and the kids are getting ready to go back to school. Will it be a busy year for your family? Homework assignments, projects, study groups and after school activities can get pretty chaotic, pretty fast, especially if you have middle or high-schoolers in your home. Never fear! Fortunately, there are simple ways to keep the agendas on track. Here are a few easy tips to help you get organized for the school year (and stay that way).
Five Great Tips for School Organization
📆 Get a Calendar Going.
It’s easy to forget important dates. When is that science project due? When is Billy’s first soccer game, or Suzy’s dentist appointment? Whether it’s a family planner or a giant dry-erase board by the front door, write it down. You will be glad you did!
🎒 Clean Out that Backpack – Every Single Day.
Often times, kids just stuff their… stuff… into their backpacks and never think about it again. If you take 5 minutes in the evening to clean out their backpack with them, you may just jog their memory about homework that’s due, or a permission slip you need to sign.
🥗 Make Sure Meals Are Planned In Advance!
From breakfast to dinner, including packed lunch and the after-school snack, make sure there’s a plan. Serve meals and snacks with nutritious food that powers them up for the day! A meal plan will help you feel a lot more prepared for the day, as well, and it’ll make grocery store trips much more efficient!
📓 Block Out Homework Time – Every Single Night.
There are virtually NO kids that like to do homework, but unfortunately, studies show that these days, kids have more homework than ever before. Help them feel organized and ready to take on every day by going to school with their assignments completed. How is this done? By creating a routine, of course! Take the same time out of every day, before or after dinner, to help your kids get that homework DONE.
🧠Do NOT Feed The Urge To Multi-Task!
Multi-tasking can lead to overstimulation of the brain function, and in a developing mind, this is not a good thing. In fact, some studies have shown that doing multiple things at once – for instance, your teen is working on math homework, texting and listening to music all at once – this can actually reduce brain function by up to 40%. When your child is working on their homework…
- Take it 1 task or subject at a time.
- Make the surrounding environment as quiet as possible.
- Turn off or mute cell phones.
- Try not to let conversations get off course.
- … and take this advice for yourself, too!
