Does it seem like your kid forgets EVERYTHING? Well - they probably do. The more kids you have, the more easily confused it all gets, so the key is: keep it separate, but keep it the same.  In other words, have an overall system in which each child can see his/her own schedule and keep their stuff. Here’s what we recommend:

Magnet Boards

Magnet Boards work WONDERS! Have one for each child, side by side so they’re easy to see. Here are some directions on how to make your own, using sheet metal and wood frame; the idea shows each child’s magnet board above his/her coat hook.*

Filing Systems

Most parents notice after a few years that the list of supplies the school sends doesn't always match up with what your kids really need. How practical is it, for example, to bring a binder for each class back and forth to school each day? Consider this: A notebook whose pages tear out, so notes and handouts can go daily into an accordion file folder, labeled by class. Then at the end of each week, those notes go into a filing system at home. Everything stays easy to find when needed. For more tips, check out Good Housekeeping.

Backpack Organization

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) says heavy backpacks can cause back pain, strained muscles, and poor posture. Make sure your backpack has padded straps, and make sure your kid wears both of them -- not just one. Try not to overload it. Wear it high up on your back. To keep their backpack organized, Notebooks and Folders for the same subject should match in color. Write the name and subject in the top left or right corner, but be consistent.  This makes materials easy to spot at a glance. Keep all small items -- pencils, erasers, compasses, protractors -- together in a pencil bag.* Stack notebooks and folders, keeping class materials together, and then stack textbooks.  Load the backpack so the heaviest and largest items are against the back, and smaller items like paperbacks, or a water bottle, are in front.

The average student produces about 320 pounds of paper waste each year. This includes books, journals, exam sheets, loose-leaf pages, essays, hand wipes, and a myriad of other paper products like handouts, assignments, worksheets, permissions slips, outlines, syllabi.... just like adults bills, junk mail, newspapers.... just another source of paper!  For ways to avoid the paper pile-up, check out our Betty Blog.

We hope this helps keep things running smoothly. Until next time – Keep It Simple. ~The Betty Brigade