The Routine That Helped My Kids Become More Independent
My kids are older now, which means our school mornings look VERY different than they did when they were little. Kendall is a sophomore, Lucas is in eighth grade, and thankfully I’m no longer the one responsible for remembering every lunchbox, water bottle, homework assignment, permission slip, and pair of shoes before we get out the door. 😂
But we definitely didn’t get here overnight!
If you know me, you know organization comes pretty naturally to me. My kids? Not so much. Add ADHD into the mix with Kendall, two kids who have their own very different ways of doing things, and years of trial and error, and I’ve learned that telling your kids to “remember” something over and over again isn’t much of a system.
What has helped is getting the routine out of my head and putting it somewhere they can see it.
These checklists are really a result of what we’ve learned in our own house over the years. They give kids something concrete to follow, take some of the mental load off of us parents, and eventually help our kids become more independent with the things we won’t always be there to remind them to do!
Why an Organized School Routine Matters
When we organize a kitchen, closet, or garage for a client, we spend a lot of time thinking about what happens in that space.
Where does something naturally get dropped?
What does someone need to be able to reach?
What does a typical routine look like in this space?
Where does the system tend to fall apart?
Your family routines deserve the same thought!
→ If backpacks are thrown on the floor every afternoon, continuing to tell your kids to “put your backpack away” probably isn’t the solution. The backpack needs an obvious home.
→ If you’re finding papers all over the house, you need a designated place for them to go.
→ If every morning involves a hunt for shoes, sports gear, and charged devices, some of that needs to be taken care of the night before.
Organization works best when the system does some of the remembering for you.
That’s what these checklists are designed to do!
Start With an After-School Reset
I think the hours immediately after school can be some of the most chaotic in a family home.
Kids come through the door hungry and tired, dragging in all their things, and usually ready to be DONE with anything school-related.
But a few minutes of resetting things now can prevent a huge headache later.
The After School Checklist starts with the basics: putting coats and shoes away, washing hands, changing out of dirty clothes, and unpacking lunch and backpacks. Kids are prompted to empty out their backpack and hand over school forms or notes instead of letting them disappear, never to be found again!
Then there’s room for a snack and a short break before homework. Once assignments are finished, completed work goes back into the backpack instead of being left on the kitchen table where you’ll probably forget about it in the morning.
The checklist also includes space for one or two household chores, which you can customize for your family!
And here’s the important part: you don’t need to do these things FOR your kids. Depending on their age, you may need to walk through it together for the first week or two. But instead of repeatedly asking, “Did you empty your lunchbox?” you can eventually just say, “Have you finished your checklist?”
These checklists are designed to encourage both independence and organization!
Then, Make Tomorrow Easier Tonight
I will forever be a fan of doing favors for your future self!
The Night Before Checklist walks kids through checking tomorrow’s schedule for PE, activities, or anything else that requires extra gear. Then they pack their lunch, get their water bottle ready, set out their clothes (including socks and shoes!), pack homework and forms, put their backpack in its designated spot, and charge their devices.
One thing that has been extremely helpful for our family is creating a lunch packing station. Water bottles, sandwich bags, and lunch boxes all live in the same area so we don’t have to run around the kitchen when packing lunches. We also keep grab-and-go-snacks together in the pantry so the kids can help themselves when it’s time to fill their lunchbox!
I get it… none of these are groundbreaking tasks. But that’s kind of the point!
Most stressful mornings aren’t caused by one giant problem - they’re caused by a bunch of tiny things that all need to happen at the exact same time. Move a few of those things to the night before, and your morning will feel very different!
Give Everything On the Checklist a Home
This is where the Professional Organizer in me has to come in. 😉
A checklist is helpful, but it becomes much more effective when your home supports it.
If the checklist says “put your backpack away,” there needs to be a place for your kids to put their backpacks.
If it says “charge devices,” create a consistent charging station.
If kids need to give you school forms, decide exactly where those papers go.
If shoes are constantly missing, put a bin by the door for everyday school shoes.
If sports equipment is needed, create a place where that gear can stay together.
Don’t make this more complicated than it needs to be! A hook by the door can be a system. A basket can be a system. A drawer can be a system.
The best organizing system is the one your family will use.
Put the Checklists Where the Routine Happens
Don’t print these out and put them somewhere where nobody will ever see them.
Put the After School Checklist near the first place your kids go when they come home from school, and put the Night Before Checklist somewhere they’ll see it during their evening routine.
You can print a fresh copy when you need one, or slip the checklist into a clear sheet protector so kids can use a dry-erase marker to check things off each day. Both printables include a reminder to erase the checkmarks before the next school day so you can start fresh!
Your Kids Don’t Need You to Remember Everything For Them
Our kids are going to need to learn how to manage their own stuff eventually.
They’ll need to remember deadlines. Prepare for tomorrow. Pack what they need. Take care of their belongings. And notice when something needs to be done without another person walking behind them giving instructions.
We get to help them practice those skills now! And a simple checklist gives them something concrete to follow while they’re learning.
Will your kid still occasionally forget their water bottle? Absolutely.
Will you still find crumpled up papers at the bottom of their backpack? Probably.
Will they check a box without actually doing the thing? I’m going to guess yes. 😂
We’re going for progress here!
Download the FREE School Routine Printables
If back-to-school season has your house feeling a little more chaotic than you’d like, start small.
Print the After School Checklist and Night Before Checklist, choose where they’ll live, and walk your kids through them.
Then give the routines a little time. You’ll be surprised by how much calmer the beginning and end of the school day can feel when you set expectations ahead of time.
And if your home needs more than a checklist to get your family organized, The Orderly Space can help! From entryways and kitchens to kids’ spaces and whole-home systems, we create organization that works with the way your family lives. Book a complimentary consultation and let’s make your home easier to keep up with!