Organization is a learned trait that parents have to instill in their children. It crosses all aspects of the childs life: school, social, sports, etc. For the younger kids that may mean cleaning their room, decluttering the toy box or bookcase, or writing their name and date at the of each school assignment.
By the time they are in 4th grade utilization of a planner is essential. This will help them manage their time and prepare for upcoming tests. You can find inexpensive calendars at Walmart, Target or the dollar store. You can even print them out for free on http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/ We know that children will not flip through pages to see what is happening in the weeks ahead. So, I recommend monthly calendars because you are able to see all activities with one glimpse. Some schools even have monthly calendars in the agendas. Make it fun. They can have friends birthdays and special occasions. But, don't forget to include these key items: school closings, test days, sports games/practices, and other extracurricular activities. They will be amazed to see how busy each week has become.
By the time they are in 4th grade utilization of a planner is essential. This will help them manage their time and prepare for upcoming tests. You can find inexpensive calendars at Walmart, Target or the dollar store. You can even print them out for free on http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/ We know that children will not flip through pages to see what is happening in the weeks ahead. So, I recommend monthly calendars because you are able to see all activities with one glimpse. Some schools even have monthly calendars in the agendas. Make it fun. They can have friends birthdays and special occasions. But, don't forget to include these key items: school closings, test days, sports games/practices, and other extracurricular activities. They will be amazed to see how busy each week has become.
Ok, so we are not getting older. As parents we don't always remember things like we should. There are too many activities occurring. So, if you do not have a monthly erasable whiteboard, it would be a good idea to purchase one. The whiteboard will have a master picture of your childs academic and social activities. Place it in an area of the home that is most commonly used. This way it can be seen by the entire family and reinforce the information your child should already have in their calendar. When the next month arrives have your child to help out by erasing the calendar and putting the new days/month on the calendar.
Parents, you will have to check their calendars just like you check their agendas. They may stop updating their calendar, but get them back on track. You can remind them to open up the planner and use it for it's purpose. I know, it does get a bit tiring. But, the day will come when your child will no longer need reminders. And, that is the day we all look forward to as parents.
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