Time Management is for Kids, Too

Adults often have many obligations – work commitments, family life, volunteer activities, and the list goes on. Children are also balancing more and more activities – school, sports, clubs, etc. As a new school year begins, talk with your child about managing his/her time. Together with your child, determine an appropriate amount of involvement based on the child’s age, personality, and needs.

1. How much time each week will the child participate in after school and/or evening activities? *What activities are required? *What optional activities is he/she interested in?


2. How much time is needed daily for homework?


3. How much “down-time” does your child need to function at his/her best?


4. When is family-time?


5. When will the child take care of his/her chores?

Discuss these questions with your child and help him/her set priorities. Together plan a daily routine that includes the child’s priorities, homework, chores, and time to relax. Then, enjoy a balanced and productive school year!

Prepare for Back to School

Another school year is upon us! The older my kids get, the faster the summers go! Planning ahead will help to make the transition to school days go more smoothly. Here are a few things you can do to prepare.

Command Center - Ready
The command center is the information hub. Include a family calendar with everyone’s schedules marked. Update this as soon as a new event is planned. Designate a specific spot for children to put all the papers they bring home from school. Have files for scheduled events, phone numbers, school information, etc. Spend 10 minutes daily keeping this area current.

Determine how school memorabilia will be handled. See my blog, "End of School Year," May 28, 2008 for ideas.

Homework Station - Set
Make a homework area. Include typical homework supplies – paper, pencils, eraser, etc. See my blog, “Create a Portable Homework Station”, March 3, 2009 for more ideas.

Go Shopping

• School Supplies – Check the list of items required for your student. Make sure you have what is needed and get extra of items that will need to be replaced throughout the year.
• Clothes – Go through closets; remove clothing that is too small, worn out, or your child doesn’t wear. Shop for any needed items.

The beginning of a new school year is exciting! It can also be quite hectic, until a routine is developed. Get a jump-start by making some preparations ahead of time! Then enjoy the last days of summer and the start of the school year.

What's In Your Wallet?

Several years ago, while on vacation, my husband’s wallet was stolen. He had credit cards, checks, photos, and a special note his mom had written to him 15 years earlier. He spent an entire afternoon calling credit card companies to report the loss. After we got home, I spent 8 hours calling every company we get a monthly bill from. We have many our bills set up on automatic debits, so I had to complete new forms with our new bank account number. And of course, losing the special note was the biggest loss of all. That was irreplaceable. My family & I are leaving for our summer vacation tomorrow. You can bet our wallets will be down to the bare minimum!

Yes, even something as small as a wallet needs to be organized, and right before vacation is the perfect time to take care of this task.

1. Remove items you don’t need.
2. Carry few credit cards.
3. Make copies of the front & back of credit cards, so you have all necessary info if your wallet gets lost or stolen.
4. Health insurance theft is the newest form of identity theft. Experts suggest you do not carry your health insurance card, and instead carry a copy of the card with the group number blocked out.
5. Never carry your Social Security Card.
6. Have duplicates of any photos you carry.

Now you can relax and enjoy your vacation!