Getting your Kids to learn how to be organized and responsible

Something happened the other day that reminded me about the need to teach children to be responsible and organized with their ‘things’ and I wanted to share it with you.

Our daughter has tutoring in town, an hour away, every Friday night. It is her job to make sure she has a change of clothes and her tutor worksheets and weekly book. On one recent occasion Emma forgot her jeans, so that she was only in her super-short tennis shorts and nothing else - ok while paying tennis in daylight, but not once the sun has set and it’s the middle of winter!! Yes... I could make it easy on her and do this job for her, but apart from preventing her from being cold on the odd occasion it wouldn't teach her anything about responsibility or organization. Instead is was a great opportunity to help ensure she doesn't forget in the future.

If I did this an other things like it for her, she wouldn’t be thinking for herself and learning to think ahead and be more responsible for her belongings and the jobs she has to do as she gets older. It’s these experiences I believe, that instill important life lessons in our kids and helps them step up and become more independent. Kids learning to be organized and responsible for their stuff is a big part of this and I give our kids lots of opportunities to step up, so that they get a chance to do this.

Without it there is Over-Dependence on you and worse still, possible stunted emotional growth. Which would you prefer in your growing, developing child? Sure there’ll be some mishaps and mistakes along the way but that’s exactly where the learning comes from!


Happy Organizing
Claire McFee
Organize Your Life Organizers