Help Disorganized Teens Develop Positive Habits

It’s time to do her math. But she left her book at school. And her notebook? Who knows what else?

Some teens have learning disabilities that make it tough to keep track of their belongings. Others seem to spread chaos wherever they go. Here are habits that can help all teens end up with the things they need when it’s time to study:

• Label it. Make sure that every notebook has her name, phone number and email address.
• Find it a home. Have a place where your teen always puts her notebooks. This will make it easier to get out the door.
• Make them your own. Your teen is going to spend a lot of time with that history notebook. So it might as well be something she likes. A trip to a craft store might help her add some zip to her binder.
• Teach transition skills. Teach her to ask three questions before she leaves a classroom. “Do I have everything with me?” “Did I leave anything under the seat?” “Do I know what I need for the next class?"