Time Management for the Holidays!

The holiday season is a very busy time. The kids are home from school and every minute of the day is busy so it’s no wonder that keeping organized and focused on school can be challenging for students.

There are many tools to help students and families keep organized in the chaos of everyday life—agendas, planners, calendars, and digital organizers are also a great way to help busy students stick to a routine during the holiday season.

Most schools provide students with agendas to help them keep track of homework and other assignments. Schools promote agenda usage as a great way to establish a homework routine, and to help students develop focus and a plan of action.

But when the holiday season arrives, most agendas are left in desktops or in backpacks. Gone is the focus and organizational habits of school; relaxation and celebration become the top priority. It’s important to remember that not every hour of every day is a party, even during the holidays. Studies show that children actually crave structure and routine—an agenda is a great way to add order to the holidays by helpings students to stay on top of any holiday homework and to keep focused on school. Even the youngest students will enjoy the planning and keeping track of their activities.

Follow these tips on using the school agenda throughout the holidays to add structure to and to help your child develop a sense of time management!

• Make sure that any holiday homework or projects are written into the agenda.
• Use the school agenda to keep track of homework, and to note activities and social commitments such as ice-skating or an evening of caroling in the park.
• Have your child refer to the agenda everyday—this way your child can stay on top of responsibilities and activities and practice time management!
• Try to fit in one hour for schoolwork everyday, even just to go over school notes, to read, or to organize a binder or pencil case.
• Help your child develop planning and organization skills by asking, “What’s going on tomorrow?”

Help your child create a seamless transition to back to school by staying organized, focused, and by practicing time management skills.

Oxford Learning offers tips and strategies to help your child this holiday season and throughout the entire school year. Founded in 1984, Oxford Learning uses innovative approaches to learning that have helped Canadian students to reach their educational. Customized programs founded on the science of cognitive development help children to develop the skills that they need to succeed in school while they develop the confidence that they need to succeed in life.