Tip of the Week

January 20, 2014

Use a family calendar to model planning and time management

Post a family calendar in a well-trafficked location in your home and model for your child how to use it to stay organized and on top of everything going on in his life. Assign a color to each person in the family and add their schedules to the calendar. In addition to homework time, long-term projects, and upcoming exams, also include athletic games and practices, birthday parties, trips, and even work dinners for you and your spouse. Review the calendar nightly with your child. What’s on tap for this evening? What does he need to prepare for tomorrow or the next day? Is there anything coming up in the next week or so that he needs to start working on now? Modeling the thoughtful use of a calendar will help your child learn how to be more responsible and independent in managing all of his commitments.