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Organizing for Kids and Family
Spring clean your child’s messy backpack
by Maria Gracia
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Backpack chaos isn’t just a mess. It is a symptom. If you are cleaning out
your child’s backpack often and then finding it a disaster all over again,
there is a good chance disorganization is affecting your child at
school…even if your child is coming home with decent grades.
If your child’s backpack is messy, there are likely many times during the
day that he or she is fumbling through pockets and papers looking for
assignments.
It would be great to think that we are born organized, but that isn’t the
case. When you look at a little baby, you don’t think “My gosh, he sure is
organized!” Children learn to be organized by being taught good
techniques. They really can’t make it up on their own.
Sort it out
Take a bit of time to create some organization in your child’s backpack.
The best way for them to learn to be organized is to do it with you.
•
Direct your child to make and label folders for finished homework
papers, assignments to do, notes from school and so on. This way
they can easily find what they need or put things away. I like the
fabric, zipper, 3-ring binders that hold multiple folders safely inside.
•
Get all pencils, pens, etc. in pencil pouches.
•
Toss all candy wrappers and other trash.
•
Relocate any unwashed gym clothes to the laundry room.
Plan ahead
A checklist at home for loading the backpack is also a good idea. You can
use a white board to create a list that they check off each night as they
load up for the next day. This might include items like signed papers,
homework, pencils, library book, lunch money, and so on. Place the white
board above a coat hook that they can hang their pack on.
Follow-up
Meet with your child every Friday and check his/her backpack. If it’s
organized, great. Offer your congratulations. If not, have your child empty
the bag, reorganize everything back into it, give any pointers, and repeat
each week until it’s in good shape.
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