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Tips to help your teen get organised
From new schools and new friends, to new responsibilities, the teenage years are a time of great change. Helping our teens form good routines can really help them to feel more grounded and secure.
Download our:
Weekly chart for ages 8+
Or download our:
Routine chart for ages 3-8
Tips for getting your teen on board
- Praise a few things they already do well, without being asked and say that with more on their plate, being organised is an awesome skill to have.
- Explain that to help keep on top of stuff, without stress, having a routine can be really handy.
- Chat about the things they need time for most days, or what they’d like to be putting more energy into, and emphasise the downtime aspect. This is hugely important for teens’ development and wellbeing and it’s easy to overlook.
- Keep it realistic. If your teen is new to routines, suggest just a few activities for the first week (or three). You can always add to these over time.
- For all kids, we’d suggest agreeing on at least one (max three) household jobs they can help with each day/week. Let them know what a great help that is, and slip in that having chores as a young person tends to make us more successful adults. (It’s true.. research has found a correlation!)
Praise them for everything they do, change it up as necessary and let them know how much you appreciate their help. As well as boosting your relationship, being kind is great for your wellbeing too. And a vital note: If you lose your positive interest, they will as well!
Incentives and rewards
As you’ve probably discovered, teens love incentives. Agree on some low or no cost rewards, such as:
- A ‘stay up later’ night
- A chai latte date with you or a friend
- A movie night in (with popcorn or a treat)
- An activity you like to do together, whether it’s mountain biking, doing your nails, going for a hike, reading magazines or sleeping on pillows in the lounge.
- Having extra time with a friend (or a sleepover)
- Getting something new for their room – a cushion, noticeboard
- Some pocket money – perhaps combine this with an online bank account so they can ‘learn’ about saving (but don’t make this the focus!).
You might also like to check out our tips for helping younger kids embrace daily routines.
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