3 Keys Thursday: 3 Kid-Friendly Keys

Yesterday, I posted about organizing with kids. Since the "kid" at my house is 22, it's been a long time since I actually did any organizing with the under-12 set, but there are some keys to getting organized that work with organizers of any age. Here are three I think are especially important when working with the younger set.

• Watch your words. Some are loaded and, in my mind, "messy" is one of them. In fact, I dislike he connotations of "mess" so much that I made sure not to include it anywhere in Know Thyself -- a book intended for adults! You'll find plenty of instances of clutter (the word, not the actual piles) because clutter seems like something we can take control over. Mess, used often enough, becomes something we internalize and use to describe ourselves instead of the situation. When that happens, we can buy into the idea that change isn't possible. Whenever possible, choose to make an observation instead -- "Wow, that's a lot of Legos!" or "That pile is really tall." Then, make like a Jeopardy contestant and put your next sentence in the form of a question. "Do you think you can find them a home?" or "Do you think you can make it shorter?"

• Listen. We often reveal our styles in the things we say, and kids are no different. As someone with an I need to see it personal style, I express this need when I say things like, "I'm afraid if I put it away, I'll forget to do it" or "I'm still a paper-and-pencil girl." While small children need adults to model possible solutions, older kids often have a good idea of what works for them -- and it might be different from what works for the adults around them.

• Give ownership. Organization is a life skill and the sooner we let kids try out their ideas (especially when ours aren't working for them), the better. When stuff's not getting put away, try asking your child if he or she has a better idea, and then let him give it a try. 

About now, you're probably thinking it'd be easier to do it yourself -- and you're right. It would be. And, if you still want to be picking up your child's things three years from now, go ahead and do it yourself. But, if you look forward to the day when clutter does not abound and your kids pick up after themselves, you might just have to bite the bullet and let them try out their ideas.

After all, there's no better training than on-the-job training.