Occupational Therapy

4 Tips to Encourage a Disorganized Child

If you have a disorganized child, you might describe them as messy and forgetful. You might say they struggle to use their time efficiently or keep track of things. Or that they forget their homework. During a school consultation, a teacher may have said that your child lacks organization skills. Sound familiar? You can get your disorganized child back on track by following these easy tips.

 

1. Encourage Organization with Short-term Goals

Don’t give your child too much all at once as it can be overwhelming to them and they won’t even want to try. Instead, break bigger tasks down into smaller ones and give them a time frame of when they should complete each.

2. Keep Homework Organized

Give your child a regular workspace that will be free of distractions from computers, television sets and so forth. Stock this area up with school supplies, calculators, etc., so they don’t waste time searching around the house for these items.

3. Create an Environment they Can Adapt To

If your child needs to be stimulated in order to stay motivated and alert, give them alternative seating that he can wiggle around in while he works, like a ball chair, for example. Give him plenty of motor breaks if he has a hard time sitting still and reduce visual distractions.

4. Set up and Stick to a Routine

Give them a daily routine they can stick with. This gives disorganized children a sense of structure and they feel less frustrated.

Don’t expect your child to change overnight. Speak with a pediatric occupational therapist to either work with your child or give you ideas to work with them yourself. With consistency and patience, you can help your child learn how to adopt new organizational habits that he can use for the rest of his life.

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