Kids and Organization--Do These Words Even Belong in the Same Sentence?

Teaching kids to be organized is a recipe that includes consistently setting a good example,  good planning and a little psychology.  Sound like a lot of work?  Maybe--but just as with any new habit, after sticking with it for a time period, a new behavior takes root.  And, according to University College London's Health Behavior Research Centre,  that new behavior becomes automatic and "does not rely on conscious thought, memory or willpower."  It is worth a little effort early on, knowing that the payoff will be worth it (kids will pick up themselves without help and they will be able to miraculously be able to find things they are looking for).

Are you setting the example?
(photo credit:  ahomemakerintraining@blogspot.com)

Back to the recipe--consistently setting a good example means that if a parent would like their children to make their beds everyday and clean up their toys at the end of the day, the parent should try to model that behavior.  This certainly is not a genius or original idea.  But the parent honestly evaluating if they are setting a good example might be new for some people.  Parents can ask themselves, "Did I pick up my clothes off the floor?  Did I put my dishes in the dishwasher?  Is my room a disaster?"  And if the parent really wants an honest answer, ask the kids!

Once kids understand that they will be held to the same standards as the "grown-ups," the next step to getting kids organized is good planning.  Like most people, kids like boundaries--knowing where things are and what to expect throughout the day.  The old saying, "A place for everything and everything in its place" perfectly describes how a person can help children get and stay organized.  The parent can take some time to designate a specific place for things in the child's room or toy area.  For example, it's much easier to follow specific instructions such as, "Put all the cars into the bin labeled 'Cars,'" than it is to follow the order, "Clean up your room."   In other words, the parent can help children be successful in staying organized if they can provide the basic framework for the organization.

Additionally, planning time into everyday to clean up helps everyone to keep on top of the chaos that comes with kids.  Tackling small messes daily is so much easier and less overwhelming than dealing with a mountain of things at the end of the week. 

Turn Chores Into a Fun Game!
(Photo credit:  buzzfeed.com)

Finally, the last principle for getting kids organized requires the parent to understand a little psychology.  If the parent knows:

1.  Kids love attention and being involved

2.  Kids can be motivated with certain incentives

3.  Kids like fun and games

If a parent takes the time to include their kids in the clean-up routine, develop some sort of meaningful reward for when the children do a good job staying organized and make it part of a fun game—they are successfully employing persuasive techniques to instill good organizational habits.  For example, a parent could challenge their child to an Organizational Olympics where they both strive to put the most toys away in a three minute time period.  The winner of the Organizational Olympics gets to choose a special reward such as deciding the dinner menu, picking out a movie to watch or getting some extra book time at night.  In this example, the parent took what could be a dreaded chore and turned it into a fun game where the child walks away feeling loved and included.  The rewards and games motivate the child to want to repeat the behavior again. 

And there is nothing like a child feeling the personal satisfaction of a job well done.  As one seven and a half year old recently said after cleaning up her room, “It feels so much better, it feels like I can breathe!”