Ultimately it doesn’t matter how good your child is at doing their homework if they consistently lose it prior to turning it in to the teacher. If your child’s room looks like a tornado came through, there’s a good chance organization is a problem for them.

Signs Your Child Struggles with Organization

If your child has difficulty with any of the following areas (grouped by grade level), they may have organization challenges:

Preschool/Kindergarten

  • Hanging up their coat in the designated place with reminding
  • Putting toys back where they belong with reminding
  • Clearing their dishes after eating with reminding

First-Third Grade

  • Putting away clothing and sports equipment with reminding 
  • Establishing specific places for belongings in their room
  • Keeping track of permission slips or other notes from school

Fourth-Fifth Grade

  • Putting away belonging in the appropriate place in the house
  • Bringing in toys from outside after using them
  • Keeping track of homework and school materials

Sixth-Eighth Grade

  • Designating notebooks and folders for specific subjects
  • Keeping track of personal possessions
  • Maintaining a clear study area at home

Strategies to Address Organization Challenges

The following strategies can be implemented to help your child if they struggle with organization:

  • Set up an organization system at home, allowing your child to help decide where each item should go
  • Take and post a photo of a clean room and desk to serve as a model for your child
  • Provide supervision in helping your child follow the organization system. Focus most of your attention on the area that is most important (e.g., keeping track of assignments)

By following these strategies, you can help your child lose their belongings and homework less often.

Reference:

Dawson, P., & Guare, R. (2009). Smart but scattered. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.