Declutter For Your Children

This title could lend itself to multiple posts.  Others will come, but today my mind is on helping your children become more organized people by your example.

Our school had Open House last evening for the children to come with parents and meet teachers. At this point, I have a HUGE class and the room was literally packed for over an hour.  I left the school with a full heart, excited about the sweet children and their excitement, yet feeling a bit overwhelmed with, "How can I reach all of them?  How can I help them stay organized so they can be successful?"  Lest you worry I'm on the verge of a breakdown...that's not the case.  One day at a time, asking God for help, and good nights' sleep will get us through!

If you struggle with organization, you may have a child who is the polar opposite and loves to organize.  However, most children learn from their parents.  Working to keep them organized and training them to live that way is a real gift you can give to your kids.

Usually with kids, there are minimal responsibilities that involve organization:

• Keeping the bedroom neat
• Putting back toys and materials carted to other rooms
• Hanging up towels in the bathroom/putting clothing in hamper
• Backpack and school supplies

I'll discuss keeping the bedroom neat today.  Amish children have very little problem keeping their bedrooms neat, I assume.  Having three or four sets of clothing (even seven would not be a problem!) and few toys makes them stay neat.  The problem most kids have is simply TOO MUCH STUFF to handle and keep organized.  As a parent example, if you declutter and have less, you can teach your children to do the same and maintain a more simplistic lifestyle.  Children don't need tons of stuff in their bedrooms.  Playing outside is such a healthy alternative to lots of STUFF.  With my daughter in particular, I realized that by removing excess things, she was very able to keep a neat room.  If your child still loves all the excess, at least store part of it and rotate the toys in and out.  It's like getting new toys/art supplies every month!  

Bottom line, by you teaching your child to be organized through example and training, you are helping him/her with life:  a future job, marriage harmony, productivity without being bogged down with always looking for lost items, etc.