Memorabilia ? Children can create enough artwork for an entire gallery in a few short weeks. The key here is choices; establish a particular place-e.g., basket, drawer, or shelf ? for each child to put artwork. When that space is full, have one-on-one time with Mom and select your "three favorites". This is a lesson in life, which is continually full of choices. Then create a Memorabilia Box for each child where the favorites are kept. Keep the box in a convenient place, with the lid off, so it's easy to add new items. Use the same approach for photographs. A great parent-child activity is "scrap booking" ? have your child help make a family album, or get double prints, and let the children make their own. If you're not into albums, use attractive boxes. If you're on a tight budget you can use shoeboxes. Label the outside of each packet with the contents (e.g., Lee's 5th birthday, Mary's soccer outfit, etc.) with the date. At the end of the year, store your calendar with the photos in case you decide you want to create albums when the children are grown and you need to retrieve more specific dates. The key here is "Less is more." A few great photos are far superior to boxes of unidentified ones! One of the biggest causes of clutter ? and family disagreements -- is paper. Create a filing system for important papers. Create one file for each child for each area. For example, Medical Records ? Mary, St. John's High School ? Tom. Children can begin their own filing systems as soon as they start school. The key to any effective filing system is a File Index. This can be a handwritten list, a word processing document, a spreadsheet, or you can use Taming the Paper Tiger software (see below). A File Index will help you avoid making a file for "Summer Camp" when you already have one for "Camp Wesley." Here's a sample of some other file headings for information that children might like to file: Cartoons I like English Homework Family Information Friends Fun Things to Keep Gift Ideas for me Gift Ideas for others Hairstyles I like Math Homework New Year's Resolutions Phone Numbers/Addresses Recipes I can make Savings Account Scouting Information Summer Camp Information
We live in an age when children spend a significant amount of time with computers ? for doing their homework to spending time with their friends. Taming the Paper Tiger software (Check out www.thepapertiger.com for a free 30-day trial!) is an easy way to organize many of the things that matter to kids of all ages ? paper files, like the ones described above, as well as audio and videotapes, CDs, collections. The principle is simple. Simply attach a number to the item and tell the computer what the number means. Items are automatically cross-referenced, so that searching for something in your own room is as easy as searching for something on the Internet.
? Barbara Hemphill is the author of Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger at Work and Taming the Paper Tiger at Home and co-author of Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever. The mission of Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help individuals and organizations create and sustain a productive environment so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives. We do this by organizing space, information, and time. We can be reached at 800-427-0237 or at www.thepapertiger.com
Wood Dale Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareHave you heard the song; "I Hope You Dance"? It... Read More
The time you will need to teach your children the... Read More
"The best blush to use is laughter: It put roses... Read More
There are many useful jogger stroller accessories out on the... Read More
Tripping over the shoes and toys that seem to clutter... Read More
What a dreamer I am when thinking about parenthood. Most... Read More
Fizzy sherbet in a paper bag with a strawberry lollipop... Read More
Imagine you were the principal of the school that your... Read More
Dear MomOn this day set aside to honour "Mother's" let... Read More
Spending quality time with your children doesn't need to cost... Read More
Life is comprised of pieces of time sprinkled with pivotal... Read More
Dads, please let me encourage you to change some things... Read More
? Let the child choose his or her own lunch... Read More
There's a new kind of fun and calm out there... Read More
Do you have a young child whose weight or eating... Read More
Anyone can splurge on a formal dinner or a pricey... Read More
Let's be honest! When it comes to parenting, men expect... Read More
Home, home on the range, Where never is heard A... Read More
4 traps to avoidTrap 1 - Parents need to realize... Read More
The Internet is one of the greatest inventions of all... Read More
Most of us really don't like it when someone is... Read More
The First Reason: For one thing, child development experts are... Read More
From criticizing a spouse, to claming up about one's own... Read More
For the most positive daycare experience for your child, partner... Read More
Teens can freely access the Internet from computers at school,... Read More
Antigo wedding limo ..Can you draw a straight line? Most adults don't consider... Read More
Does your child pout, blame and brood? Does he gripe,... Read More
1) It's not my (pot, beer, cigarettes, etc.), I'm just... Read More
(Isaiah 11:6 KJV) The wolf also shall dwell with the... Read More
When kids try new things, sometimes it's a 'fit' and... Read More
Frankly, as a single parent of young children, I struggled.... Read More
I remember when my daughter was born. Visions of her... Read More
Teaching kids to deal with conflict effectively and peacefully is... Read More
Not Letting Them Think.We all implicitly know that anything questioning... Read More
"Home Schooling ? Look Before You Leap"Are you considering home... Read More
Everyone loves penguins. And now, everyone has a chance to... Read More
Homework. It doesn't have to be a daily battle of... Read More
Saying no to our children is not always easy or... Read More
With the beginning of the new school year coming VERY... Read More
the woes of being a parent of an ADHD child.....Like... Read More
I have always found the notion of toilet training a... Read More
Information is gold when you are adopted. Every tiny piece... Read More
As the flurry of Back to School activities subside, parents... Read More
There are some grounds to assume that a cognitive dissonance... Read More
Article based on a friend's experienceI just wanted to share... Read More
"Family Matters" was the headline that caught my attention in... Read More
What you say and do about money has a profound... Read More
There are moments in a parent's or grandparent's life, when... Read More
Pool safety should be on the minds of every parent... Read More
Most day cares are non-profit organizations that must operate within... Read More
Parenting |