Most kids are naturally messy; they leave things here and there, forget school supplies and break things. Of course, they are just kids, but if they are not taught the value of being organised at an early stage, they might grow up to become careless and messy.

Being organised is directly related to being disciplined. It doesn’t just mean that a child should keep his room clean but rather, teaches him to get the task done at hand. It should also be noted that being organised is a skill and not something kids are just born with. Surely some kids will take more time to learn it, but with proper parenting, every child can learn to be systematic.

Schools also play a crucial part in bringing some discipline into a child’s life, but essentially, everything starts at home.

Here are 5 ways you can help your child to stay organised.

Focus on daily routines

When you want to start a good habit, create a daily routine for your child and stick to it. Eventually, this routine will become a habit and will come naturally to a child.

 For example – Some parents ensure that their child takes a shower first thing in the morning. Imposing this routine at an early age turns into a habit, and they grow up to be adults who will choose to stay clean and shower every morning.

Teach them time management

We see mismanagement everywhere. From being late to school to being late to meetings, time management skills are a rarity. However, teaching your child the value of time will go a long way.

People who respect their time, as well as others, are always organised. Surprisingly, they learn these skills at an early stage from their parents.

Introduce Checklists

Staying organised is not always easy. However, checklists are a saviour when it comes to managing our tasks. Teaching your child how to make checklists for schoolwork, housework and other chores will encourage them to stay organised and finish these tasks.

Give them household chores

One of the major problems parents complain about is that their children never help with the house chores. Surprisingly, one of the major reasons for children to act this way is that they still haven’t formed a habit of doing chores.

In their childhood, these kids were not expected to help around the house. However, when they grew up, their parents started demanding some tasks and hence, they resisted the sudden shift in household functioning. On the contrary, parents who included their kids in minor household chores like cleaning their plate or fetching the newspaper initiated a habit formation at an early stage, and hence, their children grew up to be helpful and self-reliant.

Do what you preach

Children learn more by observing than listening. They inherit their parent’s traits, both good and bad, quickly. Therefore, parents need to be careful of what they are indirectly teaching. And most importantly, they too must follow the things they are trying to teach.

For example, if you are trying to teach your child organisation skills, make sure you are organised as well.

As mentioned earlier, being organised is a skill that is learned over time. If your child is failing to stay organised, be patient and understand that some skills take time to develop. With constant support and guidance, your child will surely learn to stay organised.