4 Steps to Dealing with Disorganized Children
- Talk to the teacher about her homework policy.
- Customize homework rules.
- Show her how to use a plan book or calendar to write down assignments
- Establish a workspace
Talk to the teacher about her homework policy.
How long should it take your child to complete her assignments? How much
does the teacher want you to be involved?
Customize homework rules.
Personalities, temperaments, and academic needs vary and it's smart to take
them into account when planning your strategy: Consider your child's most
productive time, as well as the best place for him to work. Maybe you
couldn't concentrate unless you sat at a desk in a soundproof room, but your
son may be perfectly focused sprawled on his bed with music playing.
Similarly, your daydreamer may need structure and precise rules (`"Finish
the math now, then you can play"), while another child may need to kick
around a soccer ball before buckling down. Some families find that not
allowing any phone interruptions (unless they are homework-related) or TV
Monday through Thursday sets the proper tone. Of course, that means you
can't watch, either. Whatever routine and rules you set, stick to them.
Show her how to use a plan book or calendar to write down assignments
Show her how to use a plan book or calendar to write down assignments on a
daily, weekly or long-term basis. Pick a time every week to go over the
upcoming schedule so she's aware of her commitments and learns to budget her
time accordingly and break large projects into manageable chunks. Ask her to
estimate how long each assignment will take before she begins. Then take
note of how long it actually took, so she learns to gauge her workflow.
Establish a workspace
Establish a workspace where your child can be relatively undisturbed and
undistracted. Keep TV sets and computers out of the bedroom so you can
monitor screen time. Make sure you're well stocked with school supplies so
he doesn't waste valuable time running around the house searching for a
calculator.