Help your kids get organised in the New Year

by DV DV on 04-01-2015
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Help your kids get organised in the New Year

2015 has arrived - a new year, a new start. Our ActiveActivities directory has categories of great kids activities waiting for your kids to explore. But first, you’re probably dying to get rid of some of your kids’ bad habits from last year. Well, I’m here to help!

  1. Designate a regular study space and time
    If you expect your kids to get on top of their education in 2015 then assigning them a designated study space and time is essential. The designated study space could be part of your living room, study room or a table in your back yard. Where ever it is, make sure the study space is organised, tidy and comfortable. Assigning certain time of the day as study time will also help your kids to get into a good daily study routine that they can stick to in the long run.

  2. Get your kids into checklists and to-do lists
    As adults, we’re accustomed to making checklists and to-do lists for important tasks that we need to get done. You can help your kids to get into this habit from a young age. Don’t overwhelm them in the beginning by helping them to compile a small and achievable list. Start by getting your kids to make a weekly to-do list and help them to keep track of their task progress throughout the week.

  3. Break tasks into achievable chunks
    Now that your kids got into the habit of making checklists and to-do lists, it’s time to help them focus on getting tasks done. Kids can feel overwhelmed when they feel something is too hard for them. For example, if your kids started learning swimming, help them to break it down to small chunks of tasks: buying swimming gears, learn about water safety, learn about warm up techniques before swimming...

  4. Create a household schedule
    If one of your aims this year is to get your kids more involved in household chores then help them to get organised by creating a household schedule. Gather the family to discuss what household tasks need to be done on a daily and weekly basis and assign them accordingly. If your kids are young, assign them with a colour code that helps them to easily identify what tasks they need to do.

  5. Establish daily routines
    Banish bad habits this year! Things like taking too long to get out of bed and not getting homework done on time will be a thing of the past. Identify what your kids struggled with most last year and set daily routines to fix them. Can’t seem to get out of bed on time every morning for school? - sleep earlier. Don’t exercise enough? - take them on outdoor adventures more often.

  6. Help your child think ahead
    It’s easy to leave things to the last minute or not do them at all when you can’t remember what you need to do. Helping your kids to think ahead and get organised in advance gives them a clear idea of what needs to get done and what they need to prepare to get it done. By thinking ahead, your kids will not only have a better chance of tackling the tasks but also doing so with more confidence because they already know what to expect.

  7. Keep distractions to a minimum
    When we’re working on something important for work at home, most of us would turn off our phone or social media so we don’t get distracted. Well, guess what - your kids need to do the same as well. Whatever it is that distracts your kids from getting things done, make sure they are far away from it when it comes to crunch time.

  8. Be supportive
    Lastly, don’t expect your kids to transform into the most organised child in the world overnight. Getting into good habits takes time so be supportive and make sure you’re there to guide them when they seem lost or need a bit of motivation to get things done.