Back To School Tip #3 Getting It Together

By  Mary Vee

The new school year is here.  You've already started making friends.  Afterschool times are filling up with lessons, practices, church programs--a great things for you to do.  How are you going keep everything straight?  Ummm, the best answer is not let Mom do it. 

Moms help us a lot by keeping track of when we need to do things, but maybe this can be the year that you help.  One year my daughter decided to take karate.  We signed up for the program and planned to start classes the next Monday.  Monday came and went.  We both forgot, even though the class was written on the family calendar.  On Thursday my daughter came to me after school and said, "Mom, let's not forget karate tonight."  I sure appreciated her helpful reminder.  We arrived in plenty of time for her to attend class.



How about you?  Your guardians get busy with life.  Laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning the house, going to work, taking care of the yard and cars keep them busy.  Let's make this the year we help.

1. If your guardian wakes you for school, allow yourself 5 seconds to stretch then hop out of bed.  You know what to do to get ready for school.  Surprise your guardian by getting ready without being reminded.
Let's practice.  What do you need to do to get ready for school in the morning?  If your guardian approves, make a list and post it on your bedroom door.

2. When you come home from school, instead of tossing your backpack and shoes, surprise your guardian by putting these items in their assigned place right away.  Do you need to take papers out of your backpack and give them to your guardian?  Maybe your teacher assigned homework. 
Let's practice:  What place should you put your things after school? Plan a schedule that your guardian approves (come home from school, snack, homework, church group) 

3. At school your teacher needs your help.  There are many students in your class.  The more students who help by keeping their desk clean, the more time teacher might have for fun activities. 
Let's practice: Can you find your spelling book when your teacher says, "It's spelling time?"




There are great rewards to putting things in an assigned placed and doing projects when asked.  Here are some rewards:
1. More time to play
2. Happy people around us
3. Better grades
4. Find things we need when we need them.
5. God will give you a bubbly feeling in your heart.

What other things can we do to help our guardians and teachers?  What other rewards could we earn?

Write you ideas below.