Homework Haven – Organizing Your Homework Station

OK, I can’t really say I understand why teachers give so much homework.  I don’t see why children are in school all day long and then are given 2 hours of homework a night.  I guess this is all in preparation for the real world when we take work home with us and are attached to our PDA’s.  None-the-less, I still detest homework, just like I did when I was in school.  Maybe it is my own memories of hours of homework that just make me cringe when I sit my kids down to do theirs.

I have to be honest.  My oldest son will be entering 5th grade and the school he attends starts homework at this grade level.  I know, don’t hate me, but I am freaking out!  My son hated doing his easy reading homework the past two years and his occasional book report threw him over the edge.  This year I am going to be aimed and ready for battling helping him.

First and foremost, I know a good study area is important to keeping the focus on the work assigned.  You may be thinking, she is just starting homework with her son, so what does she know…long story short, we have moved numerous times and we have attended schools that assigned heaps of homework.  His kindergarten had 12 worksheets a week with coloring on each page, enough to send a 5 year old into tears.  I have talked with my son to find where he thinks studying will be best.  He has chosen his room at his desk.  I asked him because I value his input and want him to take ownership in his work.  Whether you have a desk in your child’s room, a place a the kitchen table, a place in the family room or a desk set aside in your office, a space designated for homework is key.  (Hey, I did well laying on my bed, although my wrist suffered from the numerous leaning sessions!)

Once you have found the best location for homework to take place, make sure it is free of clutter and distractions.  Don’t have piles of papers on the kitchen table and expect your child to have great focus.  Also, if working in a room, make sure the toys are kept away from the study area.  Kids will be distracted easily and you can’t expect them to want to do homework when they are surrounded by things they would rather be doing!

After you have cleared the space, stock your study area with the tools they need to get the job done.  Don’t have all your school supplies away from the area, or they will have to get up to get what they need and will lose focus.  If they will need a ruler for homework, keep one in arms reach.  Do they need additional paper, pens, pencils, erasers, crayons, markers, colored pencils, scissors, glue, or calculators? When setting up their work area, keep these in stock.  If your child will work in a transitional area (kitchen table) then keep these supplies in a caddy or box so they can bring it with them to work and put it away when they are finished.

Finding the best time to get the homework done is a must in getting the job done efficiently.  If you wait until 8 pm to get started, the kids will be tired and it will be hard for them to focus.  I have found that if you get them right when they get home, they are still in school mode and you can reward them with play time.  This works for me, but may not work for you.  Have your children help decide what is the best time for them to get it done, because if they have ownership in the decision, they will have ownership in the results.  Take into consideration practice schedules and when their neighborhood friends are playing.  If their friends are outside playing while they are working, you will never get your child to focus on their work.  Talk to the neighborhood moms to see if they have a set schedule for homework.

Finally, make sure the area they are work in is comfortable.  Would you want to sit on a hard chair for two hours?  Also, don’t forget they need adequate lighting.  How would you want to be working?  Make sure they are well fed for the energy they need to accomplish their work.  A cranky, hungry child will take longer to get the job done!

I still wish there was no homework assigned, but since I will not have my wish granted this year, I am going to have a great attitude with my child.  I am determined to make it as great an experience as I can so he will not go in with a bad attitude (OK, the bad attitude will be there, but I will try and curb it as best as possible!).

Now What? Organize Your Free Time

I know the back to school dream of the parent.  The one where if you finally have your kids in school full time so you are going to get all the projects left untouched in your home complete.  You may even squeeze in a leisurely bath while you dread anxiously await your lovely children to return.  What to do with all this new found free time?  Then reality kicks in and you realize your dream did not come true as you kiss your kiddos good bye every morning.  You seem to have nothing done at the end of the day.  They come back much sooner then you every imagined.  When did the clock start going from 9:59 am to 3:05 pm?  What happened to all the other minutes?  Now don’t get me wrong, you want your kids to come home, but how can you be excited when all you’ve accomplished is the gym and the grocery store.  The productivity gods are not impressed. 

For those who went from corporate life to stay at home mom, you think “I used to have 8 reports, a conference meeting, pitch 4 new clients and go out to lunch all before 3 pm!  Now I am lucky to get a shower in during the day!”.  How does the day disappear so quickly when you have a the same amount of time that you used to?  There are still only 24 hours in a day, but why do the 24 hours seem to go light speed  now?  It all has to do with managing your day. 

Contemplate:  Think about where your time is allocated to in each day.  Take time to make time.  Look at where you are wasting time.  Now be honest and don’t think you don’t waste time.  We all do it.  You got sucked into the latest status updates on FaceBook, you had a phone conversation with a friend that went way too long, you volunteer for an activity that you dread, you click on a link in an email that starts a web surfing adventure…you see what I mean.  We all waste time.  This isn’t to say you can’t do those things ever, it just means you need to set boundaries to help guide your time.  Also, think about when you work best:  morning, afternoon, evening?  Make sure you know when you can be most productive so you can allocate your time better.

Delegate:  When you worked in an office, you had help.  Whether you had an assistant, a co-worker, or even an employer, you had the opportunity to ask for help.  Why does that seem to be a problem for the stay at home/work from home folks?  You think, I should be able to do this all without the kids around, but really delegation is more important than ever.  You may not get it done the right your way, but you can at least know it is getting done.  Delegation is best for those tasks you tend to procrastinate on or fail to remember to do.  They aren’t getting done because they aren’t a priority.  Pass the buck and get it off your list!  Great people to delegate to:  Husbands, children, house cleaners, neighborhood teens, grandparents, friends, I mean the list is endless!  Just make sure you compensate by doing something back that works in your schedule or with monetary tokens of appreciation! 

Regulate:  Set a regular schedule to get your tasks done.  Look at what normally needs to take place and what you usually do in your week.  Group errands together and group chores around the house together so you are more efficient.  It seems so mundane, but in actuality, it will be so much easier to know what to do and when to do it.  Your family will also know when laundry gets done so they will have what they need ready to be washed (OK, we may still need to check with them and ask repeatedly, but hopefully it is easier than throwing in another chore throughout the week).   

For more tips on Regulating check out my blog post on Automating Your Day :

http://afreshstartblog.wordpress.com/2009/06/26/automate-your-day-clearing-the-mental-clutter/

Manipulate:  I don’t mean be deceitful to others, I mean be flexible with your ideas of time and scheduling.  How can you change things on the calendar to be more efficient.  Does this mean you used to work out in the morning at 9 am and now it will have to be 11 am because  you can accomplish more in the morning around the house?  Can you go to one grocery store instead of 3 or 4?  Or can you grocery shop once a week on a specific day and get all you need for a week instead of running out multiple times?   There are ways to change our habits and become more efficient in the process.

Just say NO:  OK, it doesn’t rhyme, but it is the most important thing to get more done.  Stop doing for others if you aren’t getting things done yourself.  Take a break from volunteering, sign up for the easy jobs in the classroom, don’t attend events you aren’t excited for.  Say no to yourself as well.  Does it have to be done perfectly, or is just OK good enough?  Do you really need to send out elaborate invitations to an all out birthday, or would a small gathering or activity be enough to celebrate?  Think about what you can take off your to-do’s and know it is OK to say NO.

Don’t let interruptions get you down!  This can be the worst culprit of time stealing and an unproductive day.  Can you turn off the phones, turn off the email reminders, turn off the TV and don’t answer the door for two hours a day?  Can you see friends in the store and let them know you will give them a call later, but you must get going?  Avoiding the interruptions can make you a speed machine in no time!

Once you have readjusted your schedule, delegated tasks, said no, and limit interruptions, you will be on your way to a taking those bubble baths and maybe even a leisurely nap!  Well, really, you just might feel a little less frantic and a little more mellow.  Also, you will be ready to focus on the kids when they walk back through the door!

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year – 5 Tips for Organizing Your Back to School

For a few years there was a commercial (I believe it was for Staples) that ran for back to school shopping.  It had a casually dressed father soaring on a shopping cart shopping for back to school supplies.  The kids walking behind him were absolutely miserable.  The music playing is a Christmas song, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year“.  For most parents, after a long summer break, they are ready to get their kids back to school.  I know personally I love routine (or should I say I thrive on routine) and summer makes me a little crazy with the relaxed schedule.  My husband is probably reading this thinking, “yeah she could lighten up a little”, but thought process is easier for me when there is an agenda for the day.  I am one of those excited parents dropping off my kids on the first day.  I love that they are in a controlled environment and I don’t have to listen to them fight for a few hours!   I miss them for awhile during the day, but soon enough they come back to me.

For most kids (at my sons’ school the term kids is thought to be reserved for baby goats, but I still can’t help but use it!), going back to school is torture.  They are exhausted, nervous and feel overwhelming dread about sitting in a classroom and studying again.  Not to mention homework!  Since when did parents have to host a second school session at home with hours of homework.  Maybe that is just the way school is preparing them for the real world…our work is never done!  I am not aware of one family who actually can’t wait for the homework to be assigned, yep, not one!  I can’t blame children for hating homework, but again it is a life lesson to build a functioning, working  adult.

How can you make this transition between summer lazy and school crazy go off smoothly?  One solid way is to start early.  I mean, don’t think you can travel the weekend before school goes back, let the kids stay up late until the day before school and expect to have a high functioning child in the chaotic morning!   Organizing your daily routine ahead of time will be beneficial to all in the long run.  Here are a few ways to make sure going back to school is less of a headache and more of a celebration (even if it is just yours alone!):

• Move your kids bedtime back 15 minutes a night for 3 weeks until they are going to bed at a decent hour.  If your school bedtime is 8 pm, don’t expect your child to willingly go to bed then if they have been up until 9:30 every summer night.  This will slowly get their body clocks back to where you want it. 
• Make sure you have your morning routine down before the first day.  Almost like a fire drill, practice your busy mornings a few times before the first day.  Plan an early morning activity on those days that will help mimic a school departure.  For example, have an activity planned in which the kids will need be dressed, lunch or snack packed, and books or activities to take along with them.  
• Practice preparing the night before.  We know mornings are chaos, no matter how well you plan something inevitably goes awry. Get as much done the night before as possible to avoid the screaming “Hurry!  We are SOOO late!”  chants we parents love to cry! 
• Let your children know what will be expected from them.  If they have chores, after-school activities, and homework, there is little time for play.  Have your child see where their time will be spent on a calendar and help them to realize time management (IE don’t waste time) is a huge role in allowing them enough time to be a kid, too.  The sooner they do what is expected of them, the sooner they have time to do what they want (within reason of course).  Let them know when they will have to do homework and when they can have fun.  Establishing this type of a routine will help in the transition.  If you establish the rule upfront, you will get less hassle once school is underway.
• Help them establish routines.  Work with them to find out how they would like to do things.  If in the morning they would rather eat before getting dressed, then see how productive they are when doing that.  Even if you would do things another way, taking ownership and responsibility for themselves will help them actually do what they are supposed to do.  Guide when necessary, but don’t lecture and tell them “I told you so” when they realize maybe this isn’t working.  We all make mistakes and part of growing up is learning from them.

Give yourself enough time to get the kids ready for back to school, so it really can be The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!  Next post I will talk about school supplies and setting up a homework station.  Also, I have previously posted more Back to School tips here on my blog…check them out:  http://afreshstartblog.wordpress.com/2008/08/.

What have you been doing to help ease the transition of back to school?  Let us know your tips and tricks by leaving a comment below!

Getting Your Duck in a Row…Organizing Tips for Back to School

As a young girl, my mom used to call my sisters and me her little chick-a-dees. This was a term of endearment, as well as a way to call us one name instead of listing us off one by one. I think she should have called us her little ducklings, because her goal was to keep us in line (literally and figuratively). Ducklings seem to follow their mother all in a row, hence the phrase “ducks in a row”. Chicks seem to be running a little more chaotically than ducklings.

I am always amazed by those mothers with large numbers of children. They appear to be in more control of their large brood than those with one or two (me included). If you were to ask these mothers who have it all under control, the majority would probably say it is due to their great organization and delegation. Because they have limited time to devote to each child, they must have help. The Duggar’s (TLC stars of 18 Kids and Counting) are a large family who envelop this practice. From a very young age the children are assisting with laundry, house work, cooking and looking out for their siblings. This family in particular is considered to be abnormal, but the fundamentals are there. With all the TV coverage they have, they seem to be well adjusted and happy kids.

As children are preparing for back to school, now is a great time to think about getting your ducks in a row. Get your home organized and ready for the action of early mornings, busy schedules and after school activities. Before going back to school you have a great opportunity to get your children involved in helping around the house. Establish chores they can do to assist you. For your sake, don’t expect perfection, but give guidelines and step by step procedures until the children have it down themselves. Moms and dads are stressed and overwhelmed because we do all the work load of the home. Get the kids involved, you will be happier in the long run!

Teaching your children how to clean and organize is a vital life skill. This will also lead into time management. The more that is expected of them, the more they need good time management skills. Establish routines in order to show them how to get things done in a timely manner. Teach them how to schedule on a calendar. Calculate how long things will take and then pad the calendar for the “uh ohs”. Teach them how to prepare the night before for the next days activities. Be sure to include fun in their schedules. Don’t overload them with after school activities. Pick one or two a season (depending on time commitment) and make sure they have time to just relax! Helping them schedule the work and fun will help them lead a balanced life as an adult.

My next few posts will be dedicated to getting you, your children and your home organized for back to school. To follow these posts, subscribe to the feed by clicking on the RSS feed button on the right.

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Creating a fresh start for Back to School

The alarm goes off at 6:30 am.  You have an hour to get the kids up, dressed, breakfast made, lunches packed, and backpacks ready.  That is just for the kids.  You have to either be dressed for work, or the gym, or whatever your day entails.  There are breakfast dishes, the laundry, the dog needs a walk and to be fed, and your kids are fighting over who’s turn it is to take the trash out.  The yelling escalates as you feel the tension increasing.  The kids want to watch TV and are fighting over which cartoon they are going to watch.  Your youngest is crying because she wanted to wear her favorite t-shirt (again) and it is not clean.  Your oldest child remembers that he didn’t do his homework assignment for math and he panics. If he doesn’t turn it in, he will miss recess.  Panic and mayhem seem to be the start of your day.  

Does this sound familiar?   Maybe even part of this scenario hits home.  The Mad Morning Rush seems to be the norm in most households.  You vow to make your mornings less stressful, but the next morning is a repeat of the last.  No-one enjoys starting the day off with stress, panic, yelling and crying.  In the next few weeks, I will be posting on ways that will save you time, money and energy to end those crazy mornings (and evenings for that matter).  Organizing your home will help you enjoy a fresh start every day!

This week we are going to focus on the kitchen.  Kitchens used to be the heart of the home.  These days it seems as if families don’t eat together very often.  Between dashing between sports practices, meetings, tutoring, and other after school activities, kids afternoons keep parents on the go.  The car is more often where people eat together than the kitchen table.  Making breakfast, lunch and dinner at home becomes a chore when done in a hurry.  Preparation is key to making meals easier, faster and healthier.  Good products are helpful in keeping food last longer and will save time in the busy day so you can make healthy choices.

Here are some tips for making the kitchen the heart of the home again:

Breakfast:

• Set out the night before what your family will eat (that isn’t perishable).  Have the kids set the table with the items that you will need, such as bowls for cereal or fruit, glasses for juice, plates for toast, etc.  Set out the utensils that they will need, too.  This can be done as soon as you clear the table from dinner.  This will take no more than five minutes, but will save you in the morning rush.
• Have the children help clean up the breakfast dishes immediately.  Dishes loaded in the dishwasher, trash in the trash can and table wiped off.  Again, this will not take long, but this will make sure the table is ready for the next meal.

Lunches:

• To save time and money, making lunches and snacks (for after-school practices) the night before is key.  For food that doesn’t keep well for too long, lay out anything you will need to finish preparations for them in the morning, such as slicing apples or making sandwiches.  This will ensure your kids (and you) can have healthy food throughout the day.  This will keep their energy up for their busy days.
• Have your children help in the preparation.  Have them pick their food choices.  Set limits, such as “pick either Wheat Thins or Gold Fish” or “do you want grapes or apples?”.  These will help make the decisions go quickly and will help guide them in making good choices.  Have the kids put the food into containers, such as Tupperware or Ziplock baggies and into their lunch boxes.  You will be surprised that they will not put in as much food as you would.  This will save you money as they won’t be throwing away uneaten food. 
• When your child comes home from school, have them unpack their lunch boxes so they will be ready for the next day.  Getting into this habit will allow a smooth flow for the next day. 

Dinner:

• Before grocery shopping, look at the calendar to see what days will be better to actually cook and which will be better for leftovers or quick fix meals.  Plan enough food to be kept for the week.  Check to make sure you have all the ingredients necessary to actually plan the meal, so you don’t have to run back out to the store or that you wind up ordering take out instead.  Also, when you do cook, double the meal, so you can freeze half for nights that you don’t have time to cook.  This will ensure your family is getting a healthy meal even when you don’t have time to cook it. 
• Get the family involved.  Give out chores to the kids to make sure you are not doing all the work yourself.  You will not be able to sit and enoy the meal if you are the one getting up to get things that should have been set out before the meal began.  Have one child set the table, one child ask for drink orders, and one child set out any condiments that you will need for the meal.  Do this with clean up, too.  Have one child clear the table, one child load the dishwasher and one child put the condiments away.  Having the family get involved in the meal preparation and clean up will teach them valuable skills for when they live on their own.

Products That Help:

Refrigerator:

Keep fruits and veggies longer with Tupperware’s Fridge-Smart line.  Clean the produce first, then place it in the containers.  The containers have vent holes to keep the food fresh.  There is a list on the side of the containers that tell you how many vent holes to open for the type of produce you are storing.  These products keep produce lasting longer and tasting better.  Another benefit is you can stack the containers on the shelves in the fridge to save space! 

Having your fruits and veggies last longer will save you money.  Having them washed and ready to eat will save time and also allow you to make good choices when you are in a hurry.  Seeing into the containers will ensure when you are making your list for the store, you won’t purchase duplicates or to see if you are almost out.

Pantry:

Keep your snacks visible and fresh longer and your pantry organized with clear containers like Snapware.  These come in different sizes and are easy to open and close.  Also, you are able to see when you are running low on a particular snack, so you can quickly scan the pantry before your grocery run and get it on the list.  You won’t buy duplicates as you guess whether or not that box of crackers is half full.  Your children will be able to quickly grab what they want to add to their lunch.  Even items like raisins, nut, and candy can be kept in these containers.  Products like these will save you money as the food lasts longer.  Chips and crackers don’t break and crumble because they are protected in the container. Fruit Snacks and Fruit Roll Ups are great in these containers too.  Not for the freshness (who knows how long these could last!), but to see how much you have left, and to keep boxes from getting lost in the pantry.

When you come home from the store, unpack items and place in baskets so they are quick to grab.  Items like 100 Calorie packs of food, individual apple sauce, energy bars, and snack size chips and crackers are perfect for baskets.  Being able to grab and go will help the kids get items for their lunches, or if they need a snack they can get it themselves!

Finding ways to help make your meal preparation easy and quick will ensure you send your kids off to school well fed.  By preparing for the next day each night will help make sure you don’t have crazy mornings and let you send your kids off to school with a kiss and a smile!  Stay tuned for next weeks post on Laundry Tips to help you have a fresh start for Back to School!

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