"What we now know is that the brain is flexible…It is an adaptable organ that can be molded by input in much the same way as a muscle…the more you use it, the stronger and more flexible it becomes."
- John J. Ratey, M.D., author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain
Tidbits
Getting Organized is a Process: Be patient with your child and remember that developing Organizational Skills is a process, not an event. They may slip back into old habits easily or find the ‘system’ that you created together isn’t working for them. Reassess and adjust the system together to find what works best for your child. Remember that they must take part in creating the organizational routine to better understand how and why it works and to be able to incorporate it into their behavior.
When You Need Help: This website and these tips and steps are not meant to be a substitute for professional or clinical guidance. For parents of children who believe that it is “More than just disorganization”, your child may be challenged in what is described as “Executive Functioning” in which case you will want to pursue a professional assessment and further guidance for your child.
A resource on this subject is: Late, Lost, and Unprepared by Joyce Cooper-Kahn, Ph.D. and Laurie Dietzel, Ph.D. where they write:
“The Executive Functions are a set of processes that all have to do with managing oneself and one’s resources in order to achieve a goal. It is an umbrella term for the neurologically-based skills involving mental control and self-regulation… (The list of executive functions includes 6 major categories – 2 of which involve organization)
Planning/Organization: The ability to manage current and future-oriented task demands…
Organization of Materials: The ability to impose order on work, play, and storage spaces…”
One Bite at a Time: There are many steps to getting completely organized. If your child is already feeling overwhelmed, implementing these suggestions by approaching each step slowly and methodically will be important not to overwhelm them even more. These suggestions are meant to help you and your child find order, not create more anxiety!
Templates: Here are links to the templates used on this site
Five Minute Fridays™
My Schedule
My Weekly Planner
SmartHomework™ Supply List
"100" Ways to Use a White Board
My project Planner
My Homework Planner
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