Usually, children have problems getting organised, maintaining their belongings and keeping things clean. As a parent, we need to teach our children how to take care of their bits and pieces.
I have two children, one of them is super neat and obsessively organised, but the other one is “I am organised yet a little messy!”.
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They both started to learn how to organise their belongings when they were 2 years old. Teaching kids to be organised and putting things where they belong might be tough at the beginning. They will not follow our instructions, instead, they will make a bigger mess than it already has!
Educating our children on how to be organised requires patience and leniency. You need to teach them one by one and step by step.
First, you need to help them understand WHY they need to be organised. Or else, they won’t do it!
Why Do You Need To Teach Your Children To Be Organised?
Paediatricians suggest that:
- Organised children receive less stress daily, contributing to a healthier lifestyle.
- Organised children perform better in school and at work because of the ability to apply a systematic process to things they need to get done.
- Organised children are generally happier as clutter and disorder in their surroundings contributes to feelings of irritation and depression.
- Organising can help kids be more responsible in everything that they do.
Organising skill will make life better for children in learning and understanding. In the beginning, it might take some time, but in the long term, it is worth it.
Below are some tips to help your child learn the strategies of organising at home, at school, and elsewhere.
Ways To Help Your Children Get Organised!
Start with small routine and task (Age 2-4 years old)
Your little ones love to help you around, as long as it does not seem like a job! They love to help with mini chores such as putting dirty clothes in the washing machine, wiping the table after eating and putting toys away in the basket. To help them learn how to be organised, you can use these methods:
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Make it fun and game-like activity
Kids love games and this is a great way to introduce your toddler in organising their belongings. You can play games like setting the timer and who’s the quickest in putting their toys away.
For additional purposes, you can also reward them with something. Rewards or small tokens will encourage them to be more organised.
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Compliment your kids
“Good job!”, “Well done baby!”
Children love to be complemented by their parents. They feel encouraged and seen by us. Also, they love the idea of making us proud of their actions and it makes them be better and improve themselves in the long run.
Talking about increasing their self-esteem!
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Ask them to do the things that they like
Little kids tend to get bored easily. So, it is very important to maintain the routine by making them do something that they like or enjoy doing.
For example, when my kids were around 4 years old, they loved to fold their blanket (although it is not perfect, it matters!) but they hate arranging their clothes in the drawer.
Once in a while, you can change the routine and see whether they are okay with it.
It’s Time To Level Up With Some Creativity! (Age 5-8 Years Old)
Believe me, children in this age range love to get creative, and if you give them a challenge, they will thrive!
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Build up responsibilities
This is the perfect time to teach your children how to be responsible. They must know that responsibilities are learned from home, and then school and other places.
For example, you can ask your kids to arrange their school books, waking up early for school, keeping their shoes at the rack and others. Simple as that and trust me, from being organised will make them disciplined children!
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Learn to handle storage limits
Sometimes, our kids have a little bit of too much stuff in their room. So, get some storage boxes and ask them to arrange and organise their belongings.
Make sure that they arrange their items according to categories so that it is easier for them to locate it!
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Set up their own zones
Kids around this age are starting to value their privacy, so it is very important to make sure they set up their own zones.
This will allow them to understand that their zones need to be organised and in place. Most importantly, they will keep their territory cleaned!
Maintain Responsibilities (Age 9 to 12 years old)
Around this age, your kids will want their own authority and the will of doing things on their own.
Also, they will start to build up individuality and as a parent, you must respect their own space. I would normally just advise and automatically, they will know what to do!
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Let them have their own routines
Kids have their own time, schedule, and space at this age. So, you must let them make their own routines and any form of organisation. The best part is, you already build a strong foundation for them to learn!
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Allow them to have their freedom
Give them freedom and choices to pick up their responsibilities. Trust me, at one point you don’t even have to tell them what’s next, how to organise and others. They will always follow their own time and freedom to manage their room.
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Stop forcing and nagging your children
At this point, stop being angry at them if they don’t want to be organised. You must start respecting their boundaries.
The more you nag, the more they won’t do it. Instead, talk to them nicely, hear them out, and help them if needed. Forcing won’t solve the problem!
Things To Take Note:
The more you teach, the more they can learn. The better you let them learn by themselves, the more organised they can be. Most importantly, always encourage and compliment them even though they get older!
This will keep them motivated and more excited to organise their belongings. Worry not, the longer they practise this, the better they are going to be in every aspect in life. Trust me on that!