When your children are school-aged, the majority of their day is spent in the classroom. However, children younger than school age need some help keeping the days straight. Once kids hit high school, they have numerous activities and calendars to track. The key is to start early, have a good system and communicate with your child so that everyone remembers what's happening on each day.
Start Out Young
Children thrive on routine, and you may find that you've got a steady routine once your baby starts napping on a regular schedule. Keeping that routine helps children understand the basics of organization--that each day at certain times, certain things happen.
As your child grows, establish routines appropriate to their developmental age. For example, a 3 year old might have a regular library day, music class, snack time and afternoon nap. A 4 year old has a regular computer class, playdate and preschool day. A 9 year old has homework, play time and sports or dance practice.
If you get children used to a routine early on, it helps them understand organization of their day from an early age.
Use a Clear, Visual System
Busy families and busy kids require a system--one that everyone understands, can see and can use to manage changes. While a 4 year old doesn't need to see his day, a 9 year old might and a 12 year old should. A family calendar allows each person to see what their day, week and month looks like. Use an online calendaring system with color coding. Each person in the family has a color and can either view their calendar only or view their calendar as part of the family calendar as a whole.
If online isn't a comfortable option, use a large-sized calendar or whiteboard posted in the kitchen. When you ensure that children know their color and can see their commitments each day, they can then communicate changes and parents can ensure that equipment (library books, dance clothes) are in the child's backpack or ready for practice.
Make Your Child Responsible
As your child gets older, starting in middle school, have your child begin managing their own day. Have them list out what happens on certain days at school (PE is on Mondays, library books are due on Thursdays, book reports are due on Tuesdays and so forth). Then help your child enter that information into the family calendar.
Once school is set up with its distinct daily information, move on to sports activities. Next, identify long-term projects that your child is working on from school, Scouts, sports, church or other individual projects. Define the pieces of the project and slot them into the week so that your child isn't overwhelmed with the project as the deadline looms.
