Reader Question – How to Deal With School Papers

Once school is out for the summer, many families ignore the stack of papers that have been brought home over the course of the school year. Backpacks remain stuffed with old assignments and somewhere there’s a pile of projects that seemed important to keep.

A reader asked what to do with all the paperwork that accumulates during the school year, given that it’s going to start again in the fall.

One of the things I caution parents is that you can’t keep everything your child does. When you start to scrutinize each piece of paper that comes home, you notice that many are similar and that few truly are gems.

I suggest that each child have a box for school papers that display firsts – first spelling test, first A on a quiz, first time using multiplication, etc. Programs from performances your child participated in are fun to remember, as are exciting moments, like newspaper clippings showing a dignitary visiting the school.

In short, keep the best and toss the rest. You don’t need to keep every paper your child signed, but do keep representative samples of that signature so you can appreciate the changes over the years.

The same principles apply to artwork. I recently dedicated a blog post to that subject.

The way to keep papers from piling up is to make decisions about them immediately. You might want to post a worksheet on the refrigerator or a bulletin board for a period of time. After that, determine whether it merits a place in the keepsake box or if you can let it go.

Some people who have trouble making decisions hold on to everything and address it at the end of each term or the end of the school year. You might find it easier to pull just a few pieces when you have a large collection to choose from.

Whether you tackle the project once a year or weekly, make it a habit to go through kids’ papers. As they get older, have them participate in the process so they can learn to determine what is worth keeping.

Do you have an organizing or productivity question? Let me know and I’ll answer it in an upcoming post.

Organized by Marcie^TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
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Reader Question – How to Deal With School Papers

Once school is out for the summer, many families ignore the stack of papers that have been brought home over the course of the school year. Backpacks remain stuffed with old assignments and somewhere there’s a pile of projects that seemed important to keep.

A reader asked what to do with all the paperwork that accumulates during the school year, given that it’s going to start again in the fall.

One of the things I caution parents is that you can’t keep everything your child does. When you start to scrutinize each piece of paper that comes home, you notice that many are similar and that few truly are gems.

I suggest that each child have a box for school papers that display firsts – first spelling test, first A on a quiz, first time using multiplication, etc. Programs from performances your child participated in are fun to remember, as are exciting moments, like newspaper clippings showing a dignitary visiting the school.

In short, keep the best and toss the rest. You don’t need to keep every paper your child signed, but do keep representative samples of that signature so you can appreciate the changes over the years.

The same principles apply to artwork. I recently dedicated a blog post to that subject.

The way to keep papers from piling up is to make decisions about them immediately. You might want to post a worksheet on the refrigerator or a bulletin board for a period of time. After that, determine whether it merits a place in the keepsake box or if you can let it go.

Some people who have trouble making decisions hold on to everything and address it at the end of each term or the end of the school year. You might find it easier to pull just a few pieces when you have a large collection to choose from.

Whether you tackle the project once a year or weekly, make it a habit to go through kids’ papers. As they get older, have them participate in the process so they can learn to determine what is worth keeping.

Do you have an organizing or productivity question? Let me know and I’ll answer it in an upcoming post.

Organized by Marcie^TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
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And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

National ADD/ADHD Awareness Month

October is National ADD/ADHD Awareness Month  and the theme this year is The Many Faces of ADHD.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects children, adolescents, and adults of every age, gender, IQ, religious and socio-economic background. It is characterized by problems with attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, making it difficult to pay attention and stay focused.

 

Other symptoms include forgetting things easily, having a hard time staying motivated to do tasks, and difficulty knowing how to organize daily life. Some people have symptoms that are mild and easily managed, while others are more severely impacted.

In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the percentage of children (aged 3-17)  in the United States who have been diagnosed with ADHD is 9.5%. If your child has ADHD, s/he is not bad, but has difficulty making the connection between his/her behaviors and the resulting consequences.

You can learn strategies to change your child’s behaviors and improve his/her relationship with others.  Children with ADHD need to know exactly what is expected of them; they do not do well when things are unclear and directions aren’t specific. It is important to them that you explain choices and consequences in advance.

Most people don’t “outgrown” ADHD and must develop coping skills as adults. Approximately 4% of the U.S. adult population has ADHD, the majority of whom are men.

ADHD can cause problems at work, at home, and in everyday activities.  Household chores don't get done; bills go unpaid; and relationships suffer because the person with ADHD loses track of dates and times, neglects to fulfill promises or is easily irritated.

People who have ADHD often have strong feelings of frustration, guilt or low self-esteem; they feel worried and stressed because they have trouble with goals and responsibilities.

ADHD tends to run in families and can cause serious effects if untreated, including problems in school, lost productivity and reduced earning power at work, driving citations and accidents, overeating and obesity and confrontations with police.

Treatment usually consists of psychotherapy and drug therapy. You can learn more about ADHD at  CHADD.

 

Organized by Marcie TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
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National ADD/ADHD Awareness Month

October is National ADD/ADHD Awareness Month  and the theme this year is The Many Faces of ADHD.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects children, adolescents, and adults of every age, gender, IQ, religious and socio-economic background. It is characterized by problems with attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, making it difficult to pay attention and stay focused.

 

Other symptoms include forgetting things easily, having a hard time staying motivated to do tasks, and difficulty knowing how to organize daily life. Some people have symptoms that are mild and easily managed, while others are more severely impacted.

In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the percentage of children (aged 3-17)  in the United States who have been diagnosed with ADHD is 9.5%. If your child has ADHD, s/he is not bad, but has difficulty making the connection between his/her behaviors and the resulting consequences.

You can learn strategies to change your child’s behaviors and improve his/her relationship with others.  Children with ADHD need to know exactly what is expected of them; they do not do well when things are unclear and directions aren’t specific. It is important to them that you explain choices and consequences in advance.

Most people don’t “outgrown” ADHD and must develop coping skills as adults. Approximately 4% of the U.S. adult population has ADHD, the majority of whom are men.

ADHD can cause problems at work, at home, and in everyday activities.  Household chores don't get done; bills go unpaid; and relationships suffer because the person with ADHD loses track of dates and times, neglects to fulfill promises or is easily irritated.

People who have ADHD often have strong feelings of frustration, guilt or low self-esteem; they feel worried and stressed because they have trouble with goals and responsibilities.

ADHD tends to run in families and can cause serious effects if untreated, including problems in school, lost productivity and reduced earning power at work, driving citations and accidents, overeating and obesity and confrontations with police.

Treatment usually consists of psychotherapy and drug therapy. You can learn more about ADHD at  CHADD.

 

Organized by Marcie TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
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Teaching Kids About Organizing

It’s Purposeful Parenting Month! One of the life skills that parents need to impart to their children is how to manage their stuff. Here is a roundup of articles to inspire you to improve your kids’ organizing skills:

Decluttering kids’ rooms

15 kid-tested clutter-control ideas

Conquer kids’ toy clutter

Tip for dealing with kid clutter

Products for Organizing Kids’ Clutter

Once you feel confident working with your kids on their stuff, have a go at working on their project management skills, too:

How to teach your child time management

What organizing skills can you work on with your child this summer?

Organized by Marcie TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on twitter , facebook and pinterest
And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!  

Teaching Kids About Organizing

It’s Purposeful Parenting Month! One of the life skills that parents need to impart to their children is how to manage their stuff. Here is a roundup of articles to inspire you to improve your kids’ organizing skills:

Decluttering kids’ rooms

15 kid-tested clutter-control ideas

Conquer kids’ toy clutter

Tip for dealing with kid clutter

Products for Organizing Kids’ Clutter

Once you feel confident working with your kids on their stuff, have a go at working on their project management skills, too:

How to teach your child time management

What organizing skills can you work on with your child this summer?

Organized by Marcie TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on twitter , facebook and pinterest
And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!  

Reader Question: Encouraging Someone Else to Declutter

Photo by Just2shutter

I was recently asked how to get someone else in the household to declutter. As you might guess, I hear that question often.

Unfortunately, I don’t have an easy answer.

It can be extraordinarily difficult to motivate another person to remove clutter. If that person is a child, you can set expectations and establish consequences if the expectations aren’t met. If the person is an adult, however, I suggest you come up with a definition of what “clutter” means to each of you and decide what level of clutter you can live with.

If your space allows, you can designate one area to remain cluttered (part of the basement, garage, attic, storage room, closet, etc.). If you agree to that, though, remember that the space is off limits to your decluttering efforts.

When I talk about relationships being more important than stuff, I’m usually encouraging people to let go of things. In this case, however, remember that arguing about stuff doesn’t create a positive relationship, either. It is up to both of you to find a solution that you can both agree with.

Organized by Marcie TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
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And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

Reader Question: Encouraging Someone Else to Declutter

Photo by Just2shutter

I was recently asked how to get someone else in the household to declutter. As you might guess, I hear that question often.

Unfortunately, I don’t have an easy answer.

It can be extraordinarily difficult to motivate another person to remove clutter. If that person is a child, you can set expectations and establish consequences if the expectations aren’t met. If the person is an adult, however, I suggest you come up with a definition of what “clutter” means to each of you and decide what level of clutter you can live with.

If your space allows, you can designate one area to remain cluttered (part of the basement, garage, attic, storage room, closet, etc.). If you agree to that, though, remember that the space is off limits to your decluttering efforts.

When I talk about relationships being more important than stuff, I’m usually encouraging people to let go of things. In this case, however, remember that arguing about stuff doesn’t create a positive relationship, either. It is up to both of you to find a solution that you can both agree with.

Organized by Marcie TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on twitter , facebook and pinterest

And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

Reader Question: Ungifting Party

When you have young children, it can seem like you’re going to a birthday party every week. No party would be complete without presents, would it?

Recently a reader asked how to avoid the overwhelming number of birthday gifts her child gets each year, made worse by the fact that the birthday is close to major gift-giving holidays.

I suggested two ideas for dealing with present overload.

One is to put “No Gifts” on the invitation. While I think most parents would be relieved not to have to shop for a gift, there are going to be some who don’t pay attention or who ignore the request.

Another approach is to request something to donate to a particular organization. You might ask each guest to bring a book to donate to a children’s hospital or homeless shelter. You have to decide if this is an occasion for teaching kids about generosity and privilege.

If neither of these ideas appeals to you, you can always ask your child to donate some existing toys in anticipation of receiving new ones for birthday and holidays.

I’ve heard some moms talking about having their kids donate some of their birthday gifts. While I applaud the child’s magnanimity, you don’t want anyone to feel that a gift wasn’t appreciated, so it isn’t necessary to tell friends that you donated their gifts.

What do you think? Would you consider having an ungifting party for your child? Click on Post a Comment, below, and tell us.

Organized by Marcie TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value

Follow me on twitter and facebook  

And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

Reader Question: Ungifting Party

When you have young children, it can seem like you’re going to a birthday party every week. No party would be complete without presents, would it?

Recently a reader asked how to avoid the overwhelming number of birthday gifts her child gets each year, made worse by the fact that the birthday is close to major gift-giving holidays.

I suggested two ideas for dealing with present overload.

One is to put “No Gifts” on the invitation. While I think most parents would be relieved not to have to shop for a gift, there are going to be some who don’t pay attention or who ignore the request.

Another approach is to request something to donate to a particular organization. You might ask each guest to bring a book to donate to a children’s hospital or homeless shelter. You have to decide if this is an occasion for teaching kids about generosity and privilege.

If neither of these ideas appeals to you, you can always ask your child to donate some existing toys in anticipation of receiving new ones for birthday and holidays.

I’ve heard some moms talking about having their kids donate some of their birthday gifts. While I applaud the child’s magnanimity, you don’t want anyone to feel that a gift wasn’t appreciated, so it isn’t necessary to tell friends that you donated their gifts.

What do you think? Would you consider having an ungifting party for your child? Click on Post a Comment, below, and tell us.

Organized by Marcie TM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value

Follow me on twitter and facebook  

And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

World Autism Day

Today is the fifth annual World Autism Day. Created by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007, April 4^th is the day you’ll find numerous organizations bringing attention to the causes of and treatments for autism.

President Barak Obama issued a proclamation today and encouraged Americans “to learn more about autism and what they can do to support individuals on the autism spectrum and their families.”

The latest news from the CDC is that 1 in 88 American third-grade children has autism spectrum disorder.

Here’s what you can do:

• Write to your Congress member to ask for increased funding for autism research
• If you have a young child, make sure to get him/her evaluated for developmental disabilities
• Donate to Autism Speaks
• If you know a family impacted by autism, offer your support
• Today and all during the month of April, light it up blue

Organized by MarcieTM:  Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value

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And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

World Autism Day

Today is the fifth annual World Autism Day. Created by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007, April 4^th is the day you’ll find numerous organizations bringing attention to the causes of and treatments for autism.

President Barak Obama issued a proclamation today and encouraged Americans “to learn more about autism and what they can do to support individuals on the autism spectrum and their families.”

The latest news from the CDC is that 1 in 88 American third-grade children has autism spectrum disorder.

Here’s what you can do:

• Write to your Congress member to ask for increased funding for autism research
• If you have a young child, make sure to get him/her evaluated for developmental disabilities
• Donate to Autism Speaks
• If you know a family impacted by autism, offer your support
• Today and all during the month of April, light it up blue

Organized by MarcieTM:  Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value

Follow me on twitter and facebook

And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

Adopt a Shelter Animal

Today’s post is only minimally about organizing.  After much consideration, I decided to foster a cat for the Humane Society.  He followed us home one day and, after a month at the shelter, was still up for adoption.  He has settled in very well and gets along with everyone, which is fortunate for us in the event he doesn’t find another home.  I had no desire to bring a cat into my home, it just happened serendipitously.

What allowed me to make the decision fairly quickly was the fact that my home was ready to accept a pet.  We don’t have clutter that would make the house dangerous for an animal and we have routines in place that allow us to keep doing what we do, even with an additional creature.

He is very low maintenance. So adding the feeding, box cleaning and grooming only take a little work each day.  Just like an organizing project, you have to deal with a pet every day instead of saving it all up for a time that’s more convenient.

If anyone is interested in finding out more about a lovely, well mannered, 5-year-old neutered male cat, please let me know.  He likes kids, but not other cats.  Please help me find him a loving home.

Organized by MarcieTM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on  twitter and facebook

And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!

Adopt a Shelter Animal

Today’s post is only minimally about organizing.  After much consideration, I decided to foster a cat for the Humane Society.  He followed us home one day and, after a month at the shelter, was still up for adoption.  He has settled in very well and gets along with everyone, which is fortunate for us in the event he doesn’t find another home.  I had no desire to bring a cat into my home, it just happened serendipitously.

What allowed me to make the decision fairly quickly was the fact that my home was ready to accept a pet.  We don’t have clutter that would make the house dangerous for an animal and we have routines in place that allow us to keep doing what we do, even with an additional creature.

He is very low maintenance. So adding the feeding, box cleaning and grooming only take a little work each day.  Just like an organizing project, you have to deal with a pet every day instead of saving it all up for a time that’s more convenient.

If anyone is interested in finding out more about a lovely, well mannered, 5-year-old neutered male cat, please let me know.  He likes kids, but not other cats.  Please help me find him a loving home.

Organized by MarcieTM: Save time and money by letting go of what you don't need and finding room for what you value
Follow me on  twitter and facebook

And if you like what you've read, share it using the links below!