It's not uncommon in my house to hear our 8-year-old shouting, "dad have you seen my sneakers?" or video games... or baseball cap etc. Even though we stress to him that he must keep his shoes, hat, games etc. in specific places so that he can easily find them later, this rarely happens.
So if you're child is somewhat disorganized like mine, and he or she is having trouble remembering where they left things, here's some tips I found that could be helpful:
1. Identify what kind of disorganization your child is going through. Most experts say they can be broken down into three categories: disorganization at school; disorganization at home; or time mismanagement. Some kids may exhibit all three signs of disorganization. Whatever the case, it's our job to help get them on the right track.
2. Let them be the one to clean up or organize their space. If we as parents continue to clean up after them then they'll never learn. Author Donna Smallin who wrote "A to Z storage solutions" says if the youngster is the one to put things away, then eventually they'll remember where they left it.
3. Use checklists to serve as reminders, or to post assignments. If our children get into the habit of keeping a "to-do" list, not only will they get a sense of accomplishment by crossing off completed items... but hopefully they will be constantly reminded about putting their things away, and where to find them next time.
Good luck.
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