Hi everyone, I’m Alex and I’d love to know how to help my 10-year-old become more organized, both at school and at home. Any strategies or tips that worked for you? Thanks a lot! — Alex
Hi Alex,
Thanks for reaching out with such an important question! As a school counselor, I see firsthand how developing organizational skills at around 10 years old can make a huge difference for kids, both academically and in their personal lives. It’s a foundational life skill, and it’s wonderful you’re looking for ways to support your child.
While you’re thinking about organizing physical spaces like desks and backpacks, or managing homework planners, it’s also increasingly important to consider how these skills translate to their digital world. At 10, your child is likely navigating more online schoolwork, digital projects, and perhaps even some social connections. Being organized in these digital spaces is just as crucial for their success and safety.
From my experience working with families, fostering open communication is key here. Talk with your child about why organization is helpful – not just for finding their soccer cleats, but also for managing their online assignments, keeping track of digital files for school, or even organizing photos or digital art they create. When they understand the “why,” they’re often more receptive.
This is also where we can touch upon responsible technology use. For instance:
- Digital Clutter: Just like a messy room, a disorganized desktop or downloads folder can be overwhelming and make it hard to find important school documents. You can teach them simple file naming conventions and how to create folders.
- Managing Online Tasks: Many schools use online portals for assignments. Helping your child develop a system to track these (perhaps a digital calendar or a shared family to-do list app) can build great habits.
- Online Safety & Information: Being organized online also means knowing where their information is stored and who they are sharing it with. This ties into discussions about privacy settings and being mindful of their digital footprint. A child who is organized with their digital belongings is often more aware of what they have and where it is.
Some parents find that parental control apps can be a supportive tool in this journey, not as a means of “spying,” but as a way to help create structure and healthy boundaries around technology. When looking at such tools, you might consider features that help:
- Manage screen time: Allocating specific times for homework on devices versus free time can help a child learn to organize their time and prioritize tasks. This structure can reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed.
- Filter content: While not directly about organization, ensuring they are accessing age-appropriate content means they are less likely to be distracted by or stumble upon things that could derail their focus or safety.
- Establish routines: Some apps can help set schedules for device use, reinforcing the idea that there’s a time and place for different online activities, which is a form of organization.
It’s important to approach these tools as aids, always in conjunction with ongoing conversations. If you do consider using such an app, discuss it openly with your child. Explain that it’s about helping them build good habits and stay safe, much like you teach them to organize their room for efficiency and comfort. This helps build trust and avoids making them feel overly monitored.
Ultimately, Alex, teaching organization is about empowering your child with skills for life. By extending these lessons to their digital interactions, you’re preparing them for a world where these two realms are increasingly intertwined. Start with small, manageable steps, celebrate their successes, and keep those lines of communication wide open.
Best of luck on this journey!
Warmly,
Deborah McGrane
School Counselor
Hi Alex (@AlexLife_101), and welcome!
Oh, this is such a classic parenting puzzle, isn’t it? Teaching organization feels like a marathon, not a sprint, especially when you’re trying to get it to stick both at school and at home. My two are 9 and 13, and believe me, we’re still very much in the learning process over here too! It’s a journey!
With my 9-year-old, who’s pretty close in age to your son, we’ve found that visuals and routines are golden for school stuff.
For example, we have a little laminated checklist stuck inside his backpack that he (ideally!) goes through before leaving school and then again before bed. Things like: “Homework Folder? Planner? Lunchbox? Water Bottle?” It doesn’t always work perfectly, but it helps him take some ownership. We also try to have a designated “landing zone” at home for his school bag and anything that needs signing. This stops it from exploding all over the kitchen counter… most of the time! 
For home organization, one thing that’s helped (sometimes!) is breaking tasks down. “Clean your room” is just too overwhelming for my youngest. But “Okay, first let’s put all the LEGOs back in the big red bin” or “Can you gather all your dirty clothes and put them in the hamper?” feels more manageable. We also do a “10-minute family tidy-up” before dinner some nights – music on, everyone tackles one area. It’s amazing what can get done!
It’s funny, we spend a good chunk of time navigating the digital world with our kids, using parental control apps to help manage screen time, filter content, and teach them about online safety. And honestly, sometimes ensuring they have less unstructured screen time (thanks to those apps!) actually creates the space and time for them to focus on things like tidying their rooms or organizing their schoolwork. It’s all connected in a way! But teaching them to manage their physical space requires a different set of tools and a whole lot of patience.
Here are a few little things that have helped us along the way:
- Lead by Example (as much as possible!): If my space is a disaster, it’s hard to get them motivated. I’m not perfect, but I try!
- Make it Regular: A little bit each day is less daunting than a massive weekend overhaul.
- Everything Needs a Home: If something doesn’t have a designated spot, it’ll always be “clutter.” We love storage bins and labels!
- Declutter Together: Sometimes they just have too much stuff. We try to do a seasonal sort-out of toys and clothes.
- Praise the Effort, Not Just Perfection: Especially when they’re learning. Any step towards organization is a win!
Don’t get discouraged, Alex! It takes time and consistency. Some days you’ll feel like you’re making real progress, and other days it’ll look like a toy tornado hit. You’re asking the right questions and looking for solutions, which is fantastic.
Hang in there – you’re doing a great job! Let us know if you find any particular strategies that work wonders!
Warmly,
A fellow mom on the journey!
Hi Alex, welcome to the forum! That’s a question close to my heart – my middle one is 10, and ‘organized’ isn’t always the first word that springs to mind, ha! With three kids (15, 10, and 6), keeping any semblance of order in our house is an ongoing mission, let me tell you.
You know, it often feels like with these parenting challenges, whether it’s trying to keep them safe online or teaching them to actually put their shoes in the closet, there’s always some fancy new system or app promising to be the magic bullet. And, just like with those parental control apps where all the really useful features – the ones that might actually give you peace of mind – are locked behind a hefty paywall, I get a bit skeptical about needing to spend a lot of money to teach basic life skills. Sometimes I wonder if we’re encouraged to overcomplicate things.
For us, with our 10-year-old, what’s worked (and hasn’t cost a fortune, thankfully!) is keeping things visual and breaking tasks down into munchable bites:
- A big, cheap whiteboard: We grabbed one from a discount store. School deadlines, chores, after-school activities – it all goes up there. They actually seem to enjoy ticking things off. Simple, but surprisingly effective.
- Small steps are key: “Clean your room” is just an invitation for overwhelm and moaning, in my experience. But “Put your dirty clothes in the hamper,” followed by “Make your bed,” then “Put your books back on the shelf” – each one is a small, achievable win.
- Let them have some say (within reason!): My 10-year-old likes to use old shoeboxes she’s decorated herself for her art supplies and little treasures. It’s her system, so she’s more likely to actually use it than something I’ve perfectly curated (and probably paid for!).
- Routine, routine, routine: We aim for a quick 10-minute tidy-up before bed, or before any screen time is allowed. It’s not always met with cheers, believe me, but it helps prevent total disaster zones.
It’s definitely not a perfect system, and goodness knows, consistency is the real challenge (often on my part!). I’m always a bit wary of those picture-perfect, magazine-cover organized kid spaces you see online – real life with kids is usually a bit messier and more chaotic, isn’t it?
I’d love to hear what other parents have found helpful, especially any clever, low-cost tricks! What have you tried so far, Alex? Sometimes the simplest things, the ones that don’t require a subscription, are the most effective. Looking forward to hearing other ideas!
Hello AlexLife_101, and thanks to everyone who’s been contributing to this important discussion on teaching kids organization! It’s such a crucial life skill, isn’t it?
Alex, your question about helping your 10-year-old get more organized really resonates with me. My grandkids are around that age too, and getting them to keep their rooms tidy, let alone their school bags, can be a real challenge! One little thing I’ve found that sometimes helps is making things visual – like a colourful checklist on the fridge for morning routines or packing their school bag. Breaking big tasks into smaller steps seems to make it less overwhelming for them too.
You know, it strikes me that teaching them organization for school and home is not all that different from helping them learn to manage their time and activities online. That’s something I worry about quite a bit with my own grandchildren – how to keep them safe in this big digital world while still letting them have their independence and explore. I’m not the most tech-savvy person, I’ll be the first to admit it! My grandkids can run circles around me with their gadgets. But I’m really trying my best to learn and find simple, practical ways to guide them.
I haven’t actually used a dedicated parental control app yet, but it’s something I’m actively looking into. I keep thinking that if I can help them organize their homework, maybe an app can help us organize their screen time a bit better, or ensure they’re not stumbling into corners of the internet that aren’t appropriate. I’d be so grateful if anyone here has recommendations for apps that are easy for someone like me to use! I’m looking for something that perhaps helps with setting time limits or filtering out the really unsuitable content, but in a way that still allows for some trust and doesn’t make them feel like I’m constantly spying. Something that encourages us to talk about what they’re doing online would be ideal. What features have others found most helpful?
In the meantime, the main things I’ve found helpful, both for general organization and online habits, are pretty old-fashioned, I suppose!
- Open conversations: Just like asking about their day at school, I try to chat with them about what games they’re playing online or what videos they’re watching. Sometimes they roll their eyes, but sometimes they open up!
- Setting clear boundaries: We have rules like “no devices at the dinner table” and “all gadgets charge downstairs in the kitchen overnight.” That way, their bedrooms are for sleeping and winding down, which I think helps with their overall organization and rest.
- Using built-in settings: I’ve recently learned that some devices and apps have their own basic safety settings. I’m still figuring those out, but it’s a start!
It’s a constant learning curve, that’s for sure. It’s wonderful that we have forums like this to share our experiences and learn from each other.
Warmly,
Danielle R. Newman
Hi Alex, thanks for starting this important conversation! I really like your initiative—getting ahead on organization skills now will help your child for years to come. For my teen, we started with phone and screen rules: no devices until homework and chores are done, and everything gets written in a daily planner. Even though we’re not using a parental control app yet (still researching!), having visible routines and clear expectations has worked wonders. I also suggest regular “reset” check-ins where you tidy up together—makes it less overwhelming and builds good habits. Hang in there!
Hello Alex, it’s lovely to meet you here! As a grandparent, I sometimes worry about how my grandchildren manage their daily tasks, especially with all the distractions from screens these days. While I’m not very tech-savvy, I’ve found that setting simple routines and encouraging kids to use checklists can really help with organization. I’m also learning about apps that might assist, though I haven’t tried any myself yet. I’d love to hear what others suggest too!
Hi Alex, great question! While your query isn’t directly about phone monitoring apps, I’d like to mention that some digital tools can help your 10-year-old stay organized. For example, apps that help with task management, reminders, or digital calendars can encourage responsibility and routine. Setting up shared calendars for homework deadlines and chores can also be effective. Just ensure that any app used is age-appropriate and promotes healthy tech habits. Additionally, establishing consistent routines and visual schedules can reinforce organization skills both at school and at home. Keep encouraging independence, and your child will gradually develop better organizational habits!
@CloudDrifter, I really appreciate your perspective on keeping things practical and cost-effective—sometimes the simplest solutions really do stick the best! One thing I’d add, based on my experience as both a tech enthusiast and a parent, is that combining low-tech tools like whiteboards with gentle digital guidance can be powerful. Apps like Family Link or Parentaler are solid if you eventually want to structure screen time or keep digital distraction to a minimum, without overcomplicating things or making your child feel excessively monitored.
If you ever do consider a digital approach, look for apps that are intuitive, allow for shared family involvement, and let you personalize routines—nothing too rigid or overwhelming. It’s all about reinforcing those routines you’ve already built! Consistency and small wins—whether on a whiteboard or a screen—are definitely the way to go.
Hi Alex, that’s a great question! While I don’t have kids, I’m a big believer in fostering independence and trust. Instead of focusing on external tools, maybe try open communication and setting clear expectations. Teach your child to create routines and use tools like planners. Modeling good organizational habits yourself can also be really effective. Good luck!
Hi Alex, great question! As a school counselor, I’ve found that teaching organization skills early is key. A few strategies that can help:
- Break tasks into smaller, manageable steps
- Use checklists or to-do lists to track progress
- Create designated spaces for homework, supplies, etc.
- Establish routines and stick to them
- Praise effort and progress, not just perfection
Consistency and patience are important. Make it fun when possible, and lead by example. Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi Alex, that’s a fantastic question! We went through this with our kids around that same age.
For us, the game-changer was going fully analog. We got a giant, colorful wall calendar for the kitchen where we all add our schedules. For my son’s room, we set up a simple corkboard for him to pin his own school reminders and homework deadlines.
Making it a physical, hands-on process rather than another notification on a screen seemed to really help him take ownership. It took some consistency, but now he manages his own board! It’s a great way to build those skills without adding more screen time to the day.
Hope this helps
Hey Alex! I don’t have kids myself, but I remember what it was like being that age. What really helps is feeling like you have some control. Instead of just setting up a system for them, maybe you could design it together? Let them pick out a cool planner or choose the colors for their to-do list. When it feels like their own idea, they’re way more likely to stick with it. It shows you trust them to manage their own stuff, which is a huge confidence booster and builds a foundation of respect that’ll be super important as they get older.
Hi Alex, I totally get where you’re coming from. I’ve tried a few apps for my 15-year-old, but honestly, most premium features cost a fortune, and I’m not convinced they’re worth it. I’ve found that setting simple routines and using free tools like shared calendars or checklists on our phones work better for us. Also, involving my kids in creating their own organization systems makes a big difference—they feel more responsible. I’d love to hear what others have tried because, honestly, I’m a bit skeptical about how effective some paid apps really are. Let’s share ideas!