Teach Your Child How to Use a Planner

Organization is an important skill to obtain; being organized means many things and can help children become successful students and organized adults. Children who do not have organizational skills have a harder time keeping up with school, not remembering where they have placed important school papers or homework, which will ultimately hinder their ability to carry decent grades.

We are not born with organizational skills, in retrospect these behaviors are learned through school and home. Therefore teaching these skills early on can help your child achieve success in school and throughout their adult years.

Preschool
Although preschoolers don’t need to keep a planner, you can introduce them to your child. You can practice with them the days of the week song:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
Saturday and Sunday the days of the week (Clap twice)
The days of the week (Clap Twice)
We start each day with a smile
And make each day full of fun starting with…
(Go back through the beginning of the song)

Point to each day of the week as you sing this song. You can also point out, in the planner, the days that you or your spouse works. “Mommy works on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. EMark those down for your child. Make a mark on a special date or event that is coming up in your child’s life. “The 12th of March is your birthday, June 5th is daddy’s birthday, etc.”

Main points to address:

• Sing-a-long with your child the days of the week song.
• Point out each day on the planner as you sing the days of the week song.
• Show important dates on the calendar and mark them on the calendar with your child.

Grades K-3rd
Sit down with your child to go through the entire calendar. Provide all dates for family birthdays and other special events, have your child write them all down accurately. Make sure to keep everything organized into one calendar, all out of school and in school events.

Have your child provide weekly updates of their calendar and add new test dates or sporting activity dates to keep the planner as up to date as possible.

Main points to address:

• Sit down with your child to make out the planner.
• Make sure to mark down birthdays of family members and other special events in your child’s schedule.
• Keep out of school and in school events connected and on one calendar.
• Make sure to keep all school test dates and other school activities on the calendar.

Grades 4th-6th
By the time your child gets into the fourth grade they should have had enough experience with a planner to know how to use one. If not, the instructions provided above for K-3rd graders can be used for your 4th  E6th graders. Be sure to allow your children to provide the details of the planner, this will give them the sense of having accomplished something in their weekly to-do list.

Main points to address:

• Allow your children to place school and family activities in the same schedule.
• Have them keep the planner current weekly.

Resources
Resources that can help you in your venture include:

• The Organized Home – http://organizedhome.com/
• Parenting Magazine – http://www.parenting.com

Posted in Education.

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