TEACHING ORDER TO YOUR 7/8 YEAR OLD SON.

WHAT IS ORDER? It’s the state of working correctly. It’s the disposition of people or things in relation to each other according to particular sequence, pattern or method. It’s the state of working correctly. A situation where rules are obeyed and people do what they are expected to do.

WHAT IS ORDER? Order in relation to tidiness. A situation where everything is arranged in its correct place. Example; The house was in a mess that he spent the whole day trying to establish some order. Also its to organize something well. Example; He tries to leave his desk in order before going home.

What does it involve? Order involves allocation of resources(time, space, energy, attention etc) to activities and things. We allocate these resources so that we can get the best return on investment, so that we can do more , achieve more with less effort and also so that we can give glory to God.

WE HAVE TO TEACH ORDER Sometimes parents assume that children will pick up virtues as they grow up and therefore they have no strategy for teaching them. A good habit is acquired through repetition of acts related to the habit. Children do not usually perform good actions by chance, they need to be taught, motivated and helped to do them so that later they will do them on their own.

Common order-related problems that affect success in school: Missing equipment-books, pencils, rulers. Lost uniform items- sweaters, socks, ties, whole sports bags, shoes etc. Bags left outside after breaks- boys ask for permission to go looking for them. Habitual lateness in the morning. Desks- that are disorderly as far as books and papers are concerned. Revision -not done due to lack of time. Homework- not done or poorly done.

Some actions related to order: Routine;- Mealtimes, bedtimes, homework time- measured and fixed, departure time etc- punctuality. Material order: keeping everything in the cupboard- a place for sweaters, shirts, jackets, socks, towels, shoe rack, dining place, sleeping place, place for books, magazines etc. Grooming: tucking in shirts, tying shoe laces, combing the hair, brushing of teeth etc.

How are we trying to teach order in the school? We have a timetable and we always insist on punctuality. We have pigeon holes for the boys to put their bags in class. We insist that desks are well aligned in class. Boys always line up going in and out of class. We keep the classroom locked especially when going for break or lunch.

How are we trying to teach order in the school? Asking them to clear their desks tops when they are going for break. Insisting they tuck in their shirts , tie their shoe laces. We allow boys to change for sports in school as opposed to coming in sports kit in the morning as many schools do. Maintenance of materials things: the school takes this very seriously making the necessary repairs. Teachers also give talks to the boys on how to take care of school properties, by reporting breakages etc.

How to help your child with order in relation to time Use time- related words such as before, after, morning, afternoon, evening etc. Talk about sequence of events for example brushing teeth after meals. Using visual routine charts to refer to each daily activity. Eg waking up, bathing, taking breakfast. Refer to names of days of the week or each month to plan for activities together. Talk about past or future events. Eg what you did last holiday, plans for coming back to school.

How do you teach your 7/8 year old boy order? 1. Set an example: Kids are more sensitive and responsive to what we do than what we say. What you do normally is what they come to see as normal and expected. 2. Give them pride of place: Kids who feel the space they have is specially their own(whether a whole room or a corner or a shelf) are more likely to want to keep it nice. Find ways to give them some control over how their space looks and where things are kept.

How do you teach your 7/8 year old boy order? 3. Define clearly what it means to have a clean room: Make a check list that kids can refer to. Make your bed. Put laundry in hamper. Hang up clothes. Put toys and equipment away. Vacuum/ mop your floor. Now you are done.

How do you teach your 7/8 year old boy order? 4. Provide a place for everything and put everything in its place. It helps a lot if everything has its place. Provide boxes, bins and work together at labeling and deciding what goes where. 5. Moderation: Order and moderation go together.

How do you teach your 7/8 year old boy order? If he has enough of what he needs, it would be prudent to establish a rule that for every item that goes into the room, something else need to come out. For example: If he gets a new shirt, an old one should be donated. A new toy comes in, an old one need to be passed down to a sibling or donated. This not only keeps the kids from being overwhelmed by possession, it also teaches them the good about giving away.

How do you teach your 7/8 year old boy order? 6. Initially, do chores together: Armchair supervision does not work, active participation always does! Keep your expectations reasonable and show the children how its done. Encourage as they master step by step. 7. Set reasonable standards for health and safety.

REFERENCE Training the will (part 1) By Fernando corominas. Educating your child for life . By Pamela Wanda.