We’re back! To school, that is. And that means we’re trading the (somewhat) relaxed and highly flexible days of summer for the beloved – or dreaded – fall days of structure and routine. But not to worry, we consulted Deptford School District Counselor Laura Fortson-Williams for tips on staying organized this school year.
A dedicated space
Let’s face it, we all wish our kids were the ones who woke up with the sun and were ready to go when the bus pulls up outside, but that’s not always – or usually – the case. (If your kids are like that, please don’t tell us.) And that usually comes with a few stressful minutes of running around the house searching for last night’s homework or that one misplaced pencil case.
That’s why Fortson-Williams recommends giving all of your school supplies and accessories a designated space – a spot in your house where your child knows their bag will be waiting as they run out of the house with one sneaker on and the other in their hand.
“You don’t have to have a big house for this to work,” Fortson-Williams says. “Give backpacks a spot, next to the door or next to your child’s bed, so they know exactly where it is in the morning.”
Your student’s best friend: color
Forston-Williams and her kids (she has one son in college and one in high school) live by color coding. “Color coding is one of my top tips for parents,” she says. “It can be a pain because you’re fighting all the other parents in Target for those orange pencil cases, but it makes things so much easier.”
And when she says color coding, she means color coding everything. Assign a different color for each subject, and get all of your supplies in that color: pencil case, folder, notebook, pencils, all of it. That way, she says, when your student sees that color, they’ll think of that specific subject.
The art of structure
Back-to-school also comes with packed schedules – from after-school sports and rehearsals forthe school play to tutoring and college prep classes. And that can make sticking to a routine difficult sometimes, says Forston-Williams.
“There will be nights when you can’t do homework right when you walk in the door, but you want to stay as close as possible to your set routine,” she says. “Children thrive on structure.”
Find your family’s balance between a strict schedule and being flexible with back-to-back activities.
Organizing your organization
You probably already know this, but we’re not born with an innate ability to stay organized. It’s a skill that we have to learn, says Forston-Williams. “Some kids have to be taught to organize so it becomes a habit and becomes second nature. It makes everyone’s life easier, especially mom and dad.”
Practice is key, and Forston-Williams also recommends organizing your organizing with a scheduled reset. “Help your child make Mondays their designated day to clean out their locker,” she says. “So even if they get disorganized by the end of the week, they know that reset is coming.”
Learning differences
If your child has a learning disability, you’re going to want to go over your child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) with them before the school year starts – or at least in the beginning.
“You want to be in the know of your child’s specific accomodations and raise any questions right away so you have the answers early in the year,” Forston-Williams says. “Especially when they’re transitioning from elementary to middle school or middle to high school. You don’t want to realize there’s a problem in November.”
Take a breath
Forston-Williams’ last tip for everyone as the school year starts is to take a breath. Literally.
“We’ve got to give each other some grace as everyone gets into the swing of things,” she says.
