Organizational skills are so important in your teen’s success at school. Studies have shown that people that are disorganized don’t do well in work or life. Having a schedule is based around being organized in a lot of areas, not just homework. Your child needs to find a workable but flexible routine at home first, and then at school. Check out some of the reasons that being organized will help them make great grades at school, and you’ll be able to breathe a sigh of relief, too.

When the school bell rings for a new year of work for your teen, for them to be successful, a schedule needs to be in place. Begin the year right by having everything they need already in place, and ready to hit the schoolhouse doors. Of course, there’re some things that you can’t have in order, like book fees, but you can have basic supplies of pens and paper. Also, you can make sure that your teenager’s class schedule is pre registered for, and start collecting up some supplies like gym clothes, and backpacks too. Just like with any teen, your teenager has a lot on their mind, and a few fears too. Set a good example, so they’ll see it, and won’t be hopping to get ready after schools started.

Organizational skills are important at home when school starts because they need structure to achieve their goals. Work out the nitty-gritty details of where they’ll study, how long they’ll study, and what their responsibilities are when they get home. Make sure that you let them know that your belief in them is absolute, and help them work out a flexible, but semi ridged routine. Don’t throw a “do as I say, and not do as I do” to your teen because they’ll see right through it. Talk with them and give examples about how doing everything at that last minute leaves them vulnerable for bad grades. Reiterate examples of how you were hurt by not doing your job when you had the opportunity. Teens often believe, or don’t think, that the unthinkable can happen, such as illness or accident, so talk with them about it.

Let them know in gentle tones, and if needed firmer ones later, that they’ll be consequences if they don’t stick to as much as possible their routine.  Make it clear that extra curricular activities will not be tolerated if they can’t get their work done in a timely fashion. The point is that a direct connection needs to made between homework and hanging out with others for fun. Don’t be overly strict and fault every little mishap, but when necessary stick to your guns about the rules that have been set up before school started. A lack of TV, or going out mudding will get their attention, if talking doesn’t.

Continue throughout the year to let your teen know that good organizational skills will ease not only your stress, but more importantly theirs too. Point out that without staying on top of their studies that they’ll be more stressed out, and won’t be able to truly enjoy even the fun times. List for them how lack of organization affects their lives in particular. Assignments are late and bad grades result is true, but let them know that what they don’t do could affect others too, such as group projects where the grade is shared among others. Remind them that making friends and keeping them involves putting their best foot forward, and bad grades for a group project is not the way to do it.

Point out too that reliability is a part of life, and that later they’ll be forced to get a job and go to college, and it’ll be required too.  Don’t give up on them, and continually remind them that you’re there when they need you. Organization tips are more than having a planner or having the best intentions, it’s about realizing that organization is part of being a responsible young adult, and they can do it. It just might take a little time for your child to see the results of having a routine for life.

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