new year survival kit

Fun activitie

s, printables

,

and more to

help you an

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your family

get organiz

ed

and get on

track for th

e

new year.

NEW Survival KitYear

NEW Survival KitYear

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For ParentsTen Tips for Smoother Mornings

How to win the War on Clutter

For KidsGet Up and Go! Flip Cards

Kid Friendly Chore Chart

Clock Activity Placemat

For FamiliesMake a Family Photo Calendar

Make a Homework Caddy Kit

Space Saver: Create a Notebook Holder

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ForParent

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re parenting h

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Articles ten tricks for smoother mornings

How would you describe the time from when your alarm goes off to when the bus screeches to a halt outside your door? If youre like most parents it boils down to total, utter chaos. Youre not alone. We all tend to leave stuff we have to do to the last minute, says Jamie Novak an organizational expert and author of 1000 Best Quick and Easy Time-Saving Strategies. A list of seemingly small tasks can easily add up, and because theres only so much time in the morning, everything becomes rushed, explains Novak. There are, however, a number of ways you can make mornings go smoothly. Try these tips to give your kids a good, stress-free start to the school day.

Make meals easy. Cut down lunch prep time by preparing lunchboxes while fixing dinner. Youve already got a lot of food out, notes Novak, And this way, youll only have one post-meal clean up. You can also streamline breakfast by setting the table the night before, and by skipping foods that take lots of time to prepare.

Have some mom time. Get up 15 to 30 minutes before your crew so youll have time to browse the paper, feed the dog, or just sit and have a peaceful cup of coffee. If you ease into your morning, youll be less likely to feel stressed and take your anxious feelings out on your kids.

Pack backpacks in advance. Sure, youve heard it before, but packing up in advance is an essential step to keeping morning craziness to a minimum. When your child finishes his homework, have him pack up all of the books, permission slips, instruments, gym clothes and everything else he may need for the next day. Adding this to the homework routine prevents you from having to worry about last minute scrambles and forgotten papers.

Ten Tricks for Smoother MorningsBy Alisa stoudt

Turn time into a game. Use timers to motivate children. Kids love the challenge and game of beating a timer, says Novak. Theyll sprint around the house completing their tasks just to beat the clock.

Check the weather the night before. Whats worse than scrambling to find your childs missing rain boot when you wake up to pouring rain? Get in the habit of checking the weather the night before so youll have umbrellas, jackets, and hats at the ready.

Plan transportation. If there is no bus service in your neighborhood, see if you can find other parents to join you in a carpool. When youre responsible for getting other peoples children to school on time, youll have extra motivation to get out the door. Novak suggests using online calendars to organize the carpool so that everyone will have easy access to the latest version of the schedule.

Select outfits the night before. If your little fashionista has to try on tons of clothing before settling on the perfect outfit, start the process the night before--and narrow down her options. Hang or store clothing you dont want your child wearing to school in a different place from her school clothes, suggests Kathy Peel, author of The Family Manager book series. This way, screaming matches over wearing princess outfits in public can be saved for the weekend.

Designate a launch pad. Be it an entryway cubby contraption or just your kitchen counter, establish a place where children can store all of the items they need for the next day. It can be helpful for this spot to be right by the door so items can be dropped upon entering the house and picked up when leaving.

Make it a team effort. Encourage children to help each other get out the door by turning them into a team with some sort of group reward or privilege, suggest Novak. Kids will think: If we all get out the door on time, something good will happen, so here, let me help you put your backpack on and tie your shoes,-- it gets everybody involved in getting out the door.

Think outside of the box. Avoid morning bathroom congestion by storing brushes and hair bands in the kitchen (where you usually end up using them) rather than the bathroom, suggests Novak. Also consider adding a mirror outside of the bathroom or in the kitchen to help alleviate some of the bathroom mirror backup.

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Articles ten tricks for smoother mornings

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Articles how to win the wAr on clutter

Where, oh where, did my tennis shoe go? Has this tune become your kids national anthem? Is living with their belongings strewn under the beds and between the sofa cushions causing you to attack and retreat? If so, the time has come to round up the forces and chart a new course. Surprisingly, winning the war on clutter is not as challenging as you might think.Take it from professional organizer Karen Fritscher-Porter, yelling at the kids to pick up their toys, t-shirts, socks, and school books isnt the answer. Kids are pros at turning a deaf ear when it comes to clean up. Give them a reason to believe theres fun involved and youve got buy-in. With time and patience, you can transform your home from so-so to shipshape. Below are a few tricks of the trade:

Set ground rules. Mobilize the troops and lay down the law. Every item must have a home; discard old items to make room for new ones. If stuffed lions and tigers run rampant on your daughters bed, let her choose one or two favorites. The rest go to a non-profit where kids less fortunate appreciate well-loved pets.

Color code the kids. Crates, containers, and closet organizers come in a rainbow of colors. Go shopping for storage supplies and let them color code themselves. Red bins for fire trucks, puzzles, and color crayons; pink for Barbie dolls, swim fins, and dress-up clothes. Dont forget desk organizers and hangers for their closets.

Bring on the fun. Make it easy for the kids to remember what goes where. Let them design their own labels. They can either write or draw a picture identifying contents. Attach labels to containers with clear packaging tape. Laundry bins go under a kid-sized basketball hoop; CDs are stored in holders resembling ladybugs.

How to Win the War on Clutter By Patricia smith

Create a mini-museum. Stacks of paintings, drawings and paperwork stifle desks and homework space. Kids love to display their creativity. Frame a few pieces of favorite artwork and hang them up. Add a cork board to display birthday cards, postcards, buttons, and photos.

Once is not enough. Putting everything in its place goes a long way toward keeping a tidy household. Designate a Clean Up day once a month and your kids will develop good housekeeping habits that will serve them well - all the way into adulthood.

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Articles how to win the wAr on clutter

For more wor

ksheets and

printables, go

to www.edu

cation.com/w

orksheets.

ForKids

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worksheets get up And go! flip cArds

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worksheets get up And go! flip cArds

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worksheets get up And go! flip cArds

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worksheets get up And go! flip cArds

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worksheets get up And go! flip cArds

worksheets kid-friendly chore chArt

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Missouri FUN Page!WORD SEARCH

Can you find the words from the list below? They might horizontal, vertical or backward.

Unscramble the letters to make

the capital of Missouri:

N O F R J E S E FT Y C I

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _

ANSWER: JEFFERSON CITY

HawthornSt. LouisSoy BeansOzarksLake WappapelloAlgonquianMissouri WaltzMule

Color the Missouri State Flag:

Color key:

A F S Y O R R J X Y O T M B P H

N E T J O B F O T X V O X U A E

S M L L B D P I X H K T D E I S

M H O N A I U Q N O G L A Y S J

O X U H H A W T H O R N E G W M

Z G I Y H S N A E B Y O S K N X

A Q S M I S S O U R I W A L T Z

R N B C O H Q T R W M A A A I Y

K V L K B Q B E S G M U L E D F

S O L A K E W A P P A P E L L O

QUIZWhat is Missouris

nickname?

ANSWER:THE SHOW ME STATE

The Look There StateThe See This StateThe Show Me State

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What time is it?Lets practice telling time with

this Clock Placemat.Use a fork for the hour hand

and a spoon for the minutes hand.

What time do you eat breakfast?

What time do you eat lunch?

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