Ways to Help Your Child Stay Organized During Difficult Times
A pandemic is chaotic enough without having your child or teen attend school whether; in-person or even virtually. That is why it is important to help your child or teen stay organized during the school year which in-turn can help them manage their schoolwork and well-being during this difficult time. Chances are you already stocked up on loads of hand sanitizer, Lysol wipes, and what seems like an endless supply of masks. We wanted to share with you some of our top tips for helping organize your child and their school work during this pandemic:
Having a Schedule
School scheduling might be a little confusing for your child, so it is important to ensure that your child is aware of when they will be attending school or what homework assignments to complete. A schedule or routine can help your child stay organized throughout the week. You can have it all written out in a big calendar near their study or work station. Both you, your child, and the rest of your family will become familiar with your child’s school schedule and to-do-list throughout the school year. This can also go for any extra-curricular activities that your child has outside of school including dance classes on Zoom or virtual piano lessons.
Finding a Designated Study Space
Regardless of whether your child or teen is attending school in person or virtually on Zoom, it is still important for them to have a designated study space. This space can be in their bedroom, the living room, or even the dining room table. It can be a space that they have to call their own and to use it to focus their attention on their school work. In this area, you could have all of their school supplies organized in bins or containers with labels so that they know where to find something. Be creative with the space and work with your child to create a space that works best for them and their needs.
If you ever find yourself lacking space to create a work or study space for your child, you may even think about self-storage to store any extra furniture you want to temporarily store for the time being.
Decluttering Your Child’s Room
Is your child’s room cluttered and messy? It may be a good idea to take this time to help teach your child how to clean up their room. Maybe they have way too many toys for them to keep them all tidy. You can go through all of their belongings and ask them if this is something they would like to keep, store, or get rid of.
Reminder: Mental Health Comes First
As a reminder, whether your child is 5 years old or 13 years old, their mental health is extremely important especially, during times of uncertainty. COVID-19 may be putting a strain on your child, and they may not be equipped with any coping mechanisms. Remind them that it is okay to take breaks between completing homework or assignments. Try your best and incorporate exercise in their daily routines whether it is going on family walks or bike rides for 10-15 minutes every evening. There are also plenty of resources available to those of you with children that are struggling during these difficult times. Among many you can find online here are the two we suggest surrounding your child and their mental health:
- School Mental Health Ontario provides a great read for parents and families on how to support your child around going back to school amidst this pandemic.
- CAMH has provided coping strategies to help people deal with stress and the feeling of being overwhelmed during COVID-19.
From all of us at XYZ Storage, we wish you the best of luck with helping your child or teen get through these tough times!
