Designing for Kids, Getting Organised

Getting ready for school needn’t be a headache

Did you know, as mums and dads, our stress levels go up by 30% on school mornings and don’t return to normal levels till after lunchtime? Getting the kids ready for school, complete with coats, lunches, and homework, can feel like a daily test of your sanity.

We talked to Jen of the Dad Network, whose son Louis who has severe dyspraxia and finds getting ready for school difficult.   Jen, a teacher, developed strategies to help Louis organise himself, which will help you get your kids organised and ready for school on time.

These are her top tips

1.Put homework, lunch boxes and uniform in a place kids can’t miss.
Use a notice board in the kid’s bedroom, kitchen or hall to write up what you need for the next day.  You can hang up bags, PE kit and even the school uniform The Tidy Books Forget Me Not noticeboard.  Jen called the Forget Me Not a ‘lifechanger’ because it gives kids a visual prompt.

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Louis is all ready for the morning with the Tidy Books Forget Me Not. Photo credit The Dad Network

2. Decide what you want for breakfast the night before
Choose your cereal before you go to bed. Jen lays out the table each night, ready for the morning. You’ll find breakfast is speedier without having to factor in decision making time.

3. Label everything in one colour
Use big name labels in your child’s favourite colour. Labels can be added to coats, PE kit and water bottles so that your child can spot their belongings at a glance.

4. Pick a favourite colour and stick to it.
Colour coding is a great way to organise. Buy school pens and pencils all in one colour, so your child can see their belongings instantly. Kids, particularly dyspraxic kids are very tuned into visual prompts.  Colour coding helps them scan for their favourite colour and pick out their belongings quickly.

5. Use a see-through pencil case
Cuts down on rummaging time.  Your child can make sure they have their favourite pencil without tipping everything out.

6. Get into the habit of making notes
Kids with dyspraxia can struggle to remember the simplest of instructions, and it happens to all of us from time to time.  If you’ve ever found a letter from school left forgotten in the kid’s school bag, then teach them to write notes.  Try a notebook or use the whiteboard of the Forget Me Not noticeboard.

7.Timers
We’ve all been there; your child’s in the bathroom to brush teeth, but they’re daydreaming in front of the mirror instead.   Jen and Louis use stop clocks to time teeth brushing or minutes left till leaving the house, so everyone knows when they need to be ready for school.

For more information on living with dyspraxia visit the Dyspraxia Foundation website
Thanks to Jen of The Dad Network and Louis for sharing their story. This blog content is adapted from an original guest post on the The Dad Network.

What about you? Is getting the kids to organise themselves is the key to peaceful mornings?

The Tidy Books kids organiser, the Forget Me Not is available now in Limited Edition new colours; Dark Grey and Soft White

kids organiser, forget me not, tidy books, school run, ready for school

Tidy Books Forget Me Not Kids Organiser in Soft White

tidy books, forgetmenot, kids organiser, school run, ready for school

Tidy Books Forget Me Not in Dark Grey

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About Géraldine Grandidier

Géraldine is Tidy Books’ founder, designer and CEO, as well as mum to Adele and Emile. She started Tidy Books in her violin workshop because she couldn’t find a good bookcase for her kids. Now her Tidy Books bookcases and storage designs are encouraging independence and a love of reading in kids all over the world.

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