Fall 2001 - Marketing Dimensions from Traymore Marketing

	Fall 2001

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School daze:
Taming the Paper Tiger that hides in your kids' bookbags

by Jennie Dawes
If your home is being overtaken by hundreds of art projects and school papers and you find yourself filling out permission slips as your child is getting on the bus, maybe it's time for a home routing system.

The after-school hour used to be the most difficult time of the day at our house. With one child in second grade and bringing home an ever-increasing volume of paper, and another child turning into a very active toddler magnetically attracted to all that paper, I thought I would go insane staying ahead of the paper trail and worrying over whether something important had been misplaced, fed to the cat, or used for a shopping list (yes, I have done that!). My response was to develop a routine that is consistent, fairly doable for a young child, and not too taxing for parents.

Find a safe, accessible, reasonable spot to keep track of school papers. This can be a drawer, a set of same-size boxes on a shelf, a spot in a cupboard, even a hanging organizer. The space should ideally be pretty free of unrelated stuff, but keeping items such as extra school supplies nearby is handy.

You'll need at least two "slots" for each kid: one for stuff that needs to be returned to school, and one for schoolwork that's come home for good. Ideally, you want to purge that one at least once a week, after you've gotten through the my-child-is-the-next-Picasso-or-John-Updike stage. You may want an additional slot for extracurricular activities, like music lessons or scouts.

If your child's teacher does not already require a "take-home" folder, make sure your child has a colorful pocket folder marked with her name to keep in her bookbag. Teach your child to use it to send papers and other materials back and forth.

When your child hits the door, after "hello" the stuff goes out of the bag (from the folder) and into the slots. Make this a habit so that important papers are not forgotten as snacktime turns into dinnertime turns into bathtime. Older kids can sort the materials themselves; collecting the papers from your younger child simply becomes part of their "welcome home" routine along with a healthy snack.

If your child attends an after school program and usually gets homework finished before arriving home, you can still use the time to reconnect, review your child's work, and sort the other items.

Create a homework routine that involves a consistent but comfortable place and time appropriate for each child. If one works better with loud music but one needs silence, respect those study needs but make sure your children know you expect homework to get their full attention regardless of where it gets done.

Lots of teachers send home weekly newsletters providing parents with ongoing information about classroom work and activities, highlighting assignments, and announcing dates and deadlines. Keep track by transferring dates from this information onto a centralized family calendar so you can see at a glance what needs to be done when and for whom.

Before bathtime every night, make sure children get their book bags in ready-to-go condition: homework you've checked, a snack if necessary, and any special supplies, permission slips, or early dismissal notes for travel or medical appointments the next day.

Not only will trying some of these tricks give you more peace of mind, but involving your child in these routines will gradually build his or her sense of self-reliance and responsibility, too. Good luck!

Jennie Dawes is a free-lance writer and previously was with The Federation for Community Planning prior to becoming the proud parent of two paper-generating children. She can be reached at: JDawes1165@msn.com.

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