How to involve kids to get and stay organized with schoolwork

Task management is one of the most important areas of organizing. Those skills they will carry over into each level of schooling and during their adult life.

ESTABLISH A HOMEWORK ROUTINE. With your child, determine the best time for daily school work and stick with it. For some kids, it is right after school, others may need some downtime to play. The most important thing is to stick to the schedule so your child knows what's expected.

SET UP THE SPACE Have a designated study area. Create a school supply box and keep it well stocked with supplies (paper, pens, crayons, scissors, glue, ruler, calculator, etc.) so kids don't have an excuse to get up.

MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AT SCHOOL. Discuss with your children principles to unload their backpacks as soon as they come home and hang up their bags in a designated area. This allows for easy access the next day. Check in each day so you're aware of their workload and take special care when they seem overwhelmed.

ENCOURAGE THE USE OF LISTS AND PLANNERS. Teach them to manage their tasks with the use of simple lists or a planner/calendar of some sort. When they learn of upcoming assignments, tests, or events, they should write them down in their planners.

ENCOURAGE COLOR CODING. Color affects our mood and memory. Let kids pick the colors of their folders to correspond to different classes. If green reminds them of science, then they'll know instantly to grab the green one when looking for their science notes.