With a new school year fast approaching, it’s time to set up systems that make the transition from home to classroom smoother. Doing so preserves your sanity as a parent and helps your kids stay on top of their homework, class projects, and extracurricular activities.
SMART stands for Smart, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. It gives you guidelines so that your organizational goals don’t feel too lofty. It’s a great way to keep kids on track because they remember acronyms such as SMART.
Here are some ways to prepare for the upcoming school year:
- Label everything with your child’s name and phone number on it. That way, if it does get left behind somewhere, it can be returned quickly to its rightful owner. You won’t be forced to replace items that your child needs. Missing coats, hats, and backpacks cost money.
- Make a pact with your kids that they are responsible for managing their homework throughout the year. That doesn’t mean that you won’t check it. It means that like making their beds and taking out the garbage, it becomes a routine. State the consequences of disorganization so they’re well aware of what happens when homework doesn’t get turned in or they misplace a library book.
- Set up a place where everyone puts their bags, jackets, and shoes. This can be in a landing area or a mudroom. Install hooks to keep items off the floor. You may want to keep your own briefcase or Messenger Bag there, too, so it’s easier to leave the house in the morning.
Make it a year for BinderBags for all the members of your family. Your children won’t lose schoolwork the way they did in the past. They’ll have a safe place to keep worksheets, reports, permission slips, and notes from their teachers and principals.