I don’t think I was. I think I was more of a “do things when I’m told” kid, but I didn’t plan for things ahead of time or think about how doing something now would make things easier for me later.
I think it’s quite a stretch for us to expect our kids to be organised and get things done without being asked or reminded, but I also don’t want to be the mum who has to repeatedly ask for things to get done, feels like nagging is the norm, or gives up and does everything herself.
Any small step we can take towards encouraging our kids to be organised is going to make life a little easier now, and will certainly help them later as they become teens and young adults.
With that in mind, let’s talk about ways you can get your kids to be more organised at home (and make life a little easier for you) this year!
One step at a time.
If you give too many tasks at once, it will feel overwhelming and nothing will get done.
Start with one task to be done each day, and focus on that until it becomes a habit. Making their bed each morning when they get out of it is an easy one to start with.
Break tasks down into more manageable steps.
Your kid might not be ready for “unload the dishwasher and put everything away” yet.
Try “sort the clean dishes into piles on the counter” first. It’s one simple step that doesn’t involve heavy lifting or going back and forth between the dishwasher and cupboards yet, and it appeals to kids’ natural instinct to sort and match as a part of playing.
Once the dishes are sorted, you can put them away together and over time, let your child do more and more of the putting away as they start to handle it easily.
Keep the system simple.
Think about how you can simplify as much as possible. Let’s say you’re using a checklist to help your child get ready in the morning. Avoiding these hiccups will help the process become a simple part of life much faster:
- If your child doesn’t read well yet, use pictures on their checklist instead of words
- Post the checklist where it's easy to see every day
- The fewer steps on the checklist, the better - an overwhelmed mind tends to freeze
Role model the behaviour
Yes, this one sucks a little but it really does work! When your kids watch you follow a simple routine each day, it becomes the norm and they’ll do the same.
Do it the easy way
Play to your natural strengths and interests and let the kids see that they can do that too.
If you hate hanging washing outside where the heat and spiders can get to you at the washing line, hang indoors on easy to reach clotheshorses. The kids will see that it’s ok to make a job easier because it means it gets done and then you can move on to fun stuff.
If you hate feeling rushed, chances are your kids do too. Build buffer time into your routines so they can get their stuff done without feeling stressed out about it.
Those are my favourite tips for getting your kids to be more organised, and I’d love to know yours too! Come chat at the Beautifully Organised Mums Facebook page and share your thoughts.
x Marissa
