The Best of Times, the Worst of Times...

Give yourself some needed time in the morning by spending a little extra time when you fold the laundry! --

Here's an idea to help you get ready in the morning if your child is too young to easily get dressed without help. Instead of having a "sock and underwear" drawer, a shirt drawer, etc., fold complete outfits together and have a "school" drawer, a "play-day" drawer, a "Sunday" drawer, etc. Your child still has autonomy in choosing an outfit, but he/she only has to go to one drawer in the morning and pull out one bundle. It's easy -- just fold the shirt, socks, underwear inside the shorts, skirt, or pants. Lay the bundles side-by-side in the appropriate drawers for quick and easy choosing!

More Morning Madness Medicine! --

This is simple, yet it took me a while to figure it out. Keep shoes in a basket or on a shelf by the door with your child's backpack...and keep a comb there also! Combing my son's hair was often forgotten in the rush; now he picks up his shoes and hands me the comb!

Speaking of Medicine! --

Here's help for those who must make sure their child takes multiple pills throughout the day -- especially helpful if you have an in-home child care worker! Wash out those small plastic pudding cups and label them with "Morning", "Noon", etc. Put the needed pills for each time in the appropriate cup. This really saves time in the morning, if done the night before, say when you're also putting together the lunches!

After school chaos and tension can be avoided! --

First of all, make the drive home as peaceful as possible -- the car is a no-homework, no-fighting, no-backpack zone! Kids love to talk about school -- recess, lunch, friends etc. -- let them do so without asking about homework and other paper-type stuff. Then when you get home, after or during a snack, sit down in the "backpack" zone and go through your child's backpack with him/her. Sign form right then and there, ask about assignments, and do homework. When finished, put the backpack filled with signed forms and finished homework by the door for the next day!

Homework headaches relieved with a folder, not Advil! --

Get a fun-colored pocket folder and designate it "Important Papers" on the front. This folder is to stay in your child's backpack! Label the left-hand pocket "To Read/Do" and the right-hand pocket "To Turn In". Daily check the left-hand pocket for forms to sign, homework to check, and your child's assignments. When forms are signed and homework is completed, place in the right-hand pocket and be sure to put the folder right back into the backpack. No more crazily digging for homework in class the next morning, and no more missing yet another note from the PTA, etc.!

More Homework Help! --

I just found these printable Homework Helper pages from Familyeducation.com -- they offer organization tools, check-off lists, and certificates for completion to encourage our kids!

I hope these ideas are helpful and I’ll try to offer more, soon!

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