Not everyone is a natural at organizing. Often, it takes years of experience and practice for a person to learn how to come up with effective systems to accomplish their projects. Once a person has developed this skill, though, they can be counted on to use their resources in a logical manner and accomplish their goals with a high level of consistency. In a fast-paced and highly competitive place like Singapore, having organizational skills is a key factor in succeeding in one’s professional and personal endeavors.
It’s no wonder, then, that parents and educators in the country make an effort to develop organizational skills in children as early as possible. This skill is actively honed among young students, no matter if they go to a local school or an international elementary school in Singapore. If you’re aiming to impart the same skill to your young children, here are some of the things you can do to introduce the concept and equip them with the skills to approach challenges in a sensible and systematic manner.
Plan and Implement Daily Routines with Your Kids
Establishing and following a routine is a great way of demonstrating the benefits of organization and how it’s done in practice. Following a step-by-step approach to accomplishing what needs to be done during the day impresses a sense of structure on your child. In case your child asks you why you should complete one activity before the next, you can use this opportunity to explain how an earlier task can impact how tasks that are scheduled later in the day are carried out. This gives them the opening to think about how their tasks and choices relate to each other. As your child grows older, they can start helping you make a schedule and perhaps even share their thoughts on why it’s better to prioritize one activity over another.
Introduce Your Child to the Concept of “Getting Ready”
Preparation plays an important role in getting organized, and it’s something that your child should learn about early on. You can introduce the concept by asking them what they should do before they can tackle their main activities at home or in school. Let’s say that your child is in charge of watering the plants. To help them get ready for this task, you can ask them about the tools they need to have on hand when doing this chore. If they have a book report, you can ask them what they need to do before they can write that book report. This prompts them to think how they can prepare for and be sure that they’re ready for the task that they’re expected to complete.
Demonstrate How Checklists and To-Do List Are Used
There are several effective tools that your child can use to become a more organized person at home and in school. Checklists and to-do lists are among these. You can show your kids how to make a list and the benefits of doing so by inviting them to help you put together a shopping list, for instance. If they have a personal project or an assignment for school, you can ask them to list down the things that they need to buy and what they need to do with these items later on.
Make Use of Memory Aids and Color Coding Schemes
Memory aids and color coding schemes are also effective tools in helping people think systematically and group information in an organized manner. These tools might seem a bit complicated for elementary school students, but they’re actually fun to learn. You can, for instance, use songs and funny acronyms to remember ideas that your child finds to be challenging. Your child can also have a fun time using different ink colors to systematically take down notes in class. After this, you can ask them how organizing their notes has affected the way they can recall information and the way they prepare for their exams and other academic requirements.
Help Your Child Set a Schedule by Using a Calendar
In addition to organizing tasks and information, you can also teach your child to be mindful of using time as a resource. If they have time-sensitive projects and assignments, you can encourage them to write these on their calendar and ask them how they can prepare for these tasks on the days leading to the deadline. If they have sporting events, performances, or exams, you can do the same thing as well. When it comes to examinations, for example, you can ask them to break down the topics that they should be studying leading to the big day. Jotting down their activities on a calendar can help them visualize how much time they have and what they can do to prepare themselves better for the challenges ahead.
Imparting organizational skills to your kids does not need to be a formal lesson. Rather, you can demonstrate the use and benefits of having this skill in real-life situations. In time and with constant practice, your child will eventually acquire these skills and improve them on their own.
© Copyright 2023 Antonia, All rights Reserved. Written For: Tidylife
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