Boost your kids’ independence! 5 back-to-school tools your kids need to be self-starters, focused, and motivated.
It’s that time of the year again:
the calendar is getting packed,
we’re possibly mourning the passing of summer,
and it’s a whirlwind of organizing the school supplies, the computer/digital files, the closet…
…But that’s just the stuff.
In all the getting-ready chaos, don’t forget about equipping your kids’ internal educational needs as well.
What executive functioning skills do your kids need to have a successful year?
Today, let’s consider 5 back-to-school tools that help kids be more self-sufficient with their organization, time, and effort.
5 back-to-school tools your kids need to have a successful year
1. ALARM CLOCK
Putting your child in charge of setting and waking up to their alarm clock saves you time running around from bed to bed AND teaches kids to be self-starters and self-disciplined.
- My son with special needs has a “click the button and it will tell you the time”. If it says “7something” he knows to get ready.
- I taught my early riser how to stay in bed longer: she knows this hour is to play quietly, this time is to get ready, this time is to come down
- My oldest is the heaviest sleeper in the world. We bought her a “shake the bed” alarm so I don’t have to. For reals 🤣
Extra practice: to grow skills in estimating the time it takes to finish a task, have them guess how long to, say, get out the door to catch the bus. Then have them time themselves and see if they can beat their time the next day.
2. family PLANNER AND a strong ROUTINE
Kids feel safer and calmer when they can depend on a consistent routine. They know what to expect on most days – which boosts their ability to be flexible when something changes.
- We have a weekly calendar on the wall for everyone to see
- My elementary kiddos have their own weekly agendas to keep track of assignments
- My oldest prefers digital over paper so she’s learned how to add alerts, set alarms, and include assignments using Google Calendar and her phone
- We start every school year with firm morning, after school, and bedtime routines to make sure we get out the door efficiently
Extra practice: Go through the family calendar each Sunday night together, talk about goals, upcoming assignments and tests – and how much time they’ll really need to be ready for those and all steps required.
3. VISUAL OR AUDIO CHECKLISTS
Boost your child’s independence by placing step-by-step checklists in plain sight or by having them on a digital list that is easy to access.
- We still use the Editable Chore & Routine Checklists for morning and evening routines (to save me from repeating “did you brush your hair?” and the like) and daily chores. These editable checklists are also found in the Organized Family Toolbox.
- My oldest, once again, has converted this to a digital, audio list for herself on her Amazon Echo Dot (this also doubles as her alarm clock and, yes, you can set parental controls on it) with a timer added to keep her on track for each task
Extra practice: Start teaching how to make a daily list of need-to-dos + some fun goals they have that day (ie: I need to finish my book report but I wanted to start my Lego castle). Then have them come up with ideas of how best to achieve both. The buy-in will be much easier when it’s their idea.
4. back-to-school EMAIL TEMPLATEs/COMMUNICATION SCRIPTS
Kids need to learn and practice how to politely ask for help – and how to effectively get the help they need. Help your kids practice ahead of time with templates and scripts.
- For digital learners, write up an email template for when students need help from their teachers (ie: I’m having trouble with . I don’t understand [detail]. Could you please [say specific need – meet with me? explain it again?]
- Have brick-and-mortar learners practice how to ask for help and to follow the script verbally
- Give homeschoolers more communication practice at the library or when asking research questions
- You can access done-for-you communication scripts in the Effective Communication Toolkit
Extra practice: Feel free to add phone skills and practice in the community, like at the post office or ordering off a menu.
5. DISTRACTION-FREE SPACE
In this digital age, it can be hard for kids to focus on work or a less-than-favourite task.
- My kids prefer to listen to classical or instrumental music when they need to focus on a bigger project
- My sensory kids also cart around their noise dampener headphones for assemblies, loud siblings, someone else’s zoom meeting and the like
- Our designated homework area is free of screens, games, or too much “stuff” that clutters the mind along with the space
Extra practice: have your kids tune in to when/how they focus better. Should they go somewhere alone? quieter? do the most challenging job first or after a snack?
5 little tools that will make a big difference this year. Let me know if you’d add anything!
read more:
- Crush Stressful Mornings With This Powerful Back-To-School Routine
- Back-to-school Organization: You need to focus on 5 crucial zones
- How to set up a staggeringly smooth chore chart
- Life skills: the real reason your child has that frustrating behaviour (and how to fix it)
- The Volcano Box: how to prevent your child’s explosive meltdowns