| As a parent, teaching children the skill of organization is not
just one less cleaning job on the household chore checklist.
Some experts consider teaching children organizational skills as
fundamental as instructing them about morals, values and other
personal signposts. In fact, organization skills taught during
childhood are likely to follow the child through adolescence and
onto adulthood. And when children reach adult age, these
essential skills can translate into real-world talents and
successes.
So is it possible for parents to teach children to become
organized? Take it from a Professional Organizer - most
definitely! I regularly experience the benefits of teaching my
children organizational skills - my nine-year-old now asks to
put away and organize our family's groceries by herself, and she
does a great job doing so.
While many children will not initially find the activity of
organizing their personal items desirable, they will welcome the
consistent routine that organizing offers. Because children
generally respond well to consistency and structure, and parents
love an organized home, the arrangement would seem like a
no-brainer - teach your children organizational skills and
parents enjoy a less-cluttered household in the process.
However, many parents make the mistake of simply saying "clean
your room" which essentially leaves organizational methods up to
their children and allows them the opportunity to make creative
organizational choices. Without the necessary instruction, a
child can just throw their toys anywhere they please as long as
the clutter is out of sight. Creativity is fine, but what will
happen when the child arrives in the real world as an adult?
Will his kooky childhood methods serve him well amongst his
peers?
As a child's first teacher and the guardian of their future, it
is up to the parent to take every opportunity to prepare their
children for their adult lives. It is well worth the effort for
parents to communicate basic rules of organization that will
build a child's skills. Rules provide structure in children's
lives and structure lays the foundation for the types of people
children will grow up to be.
So why waste an opportunity to guide the development of your
child? In essence, if you teach a child how to be
well-organized, he will grow to be a well-organized adult.
Consider using the household chores and organizing routine as a
means to teach your children how to become capable adults. They
likely will not recognize the investment now, but as an adult
they will witness others their own age have trouble with tasks
they mastered while children, and will no doubt be grateful for
the skills they seemed to effortlessly learn while in your care.
Copyright (c) 2008 Simplified Spaces
About the author:
Janet Nusbaum (AKA the Organizing Genie), WAHM of two, is an
Organizing Consultant, Speaker & Author of 'Mom, Can I Help Around the House?' A Simple Step-by-step System for Teaching
your Children Life-long Skills for Pitching in & Picking up',
who helps individuals, families, seniors and businesses organize
life and navigate transitions. Visit www.KidsandChores.net to receive a FREE chapter of her
new book and family chore system. |
