Mama Didn’t Raise No Losers: Teaching Kids to Keep Track of their Lost Things

It’s important for kids to learn independence and accountability as they grow up, and keeping track of their own stuff is a valuable skill they’ll take into adulthood. To help, we’ve compiled some tips to ease your family into this new phase of responsibility. 

1. Get into a routine: Routines create structure, which is helpful for planning and recall. Teach kids to put their backpack the same place every day right after school, and designate a place for their jacket and mittens in the closet. This will not only reduce clutter in your home but also teach kids the value of tidiness and organization and how it eases their lives.

2. Give them their own storage: Teach your kids ownership and responsibility by giving them their own special areas for storage. Creating dedicated spaces for their stuff (personalized cubbies or hooks) will put a fun twist on the clean-up game and help them feel more connected to the job of keeping your household organized. 

3. Label, label, label! This speaks for itself, but labeling your child’s items is a great way to not lose things. They’ll know that something with their initials = something they need to take care of. Attaching a Tile to something important, like their winter coat, also adds a sense of responsibility, plus it makes finding fun if it goes missing.

4. Packing help: Don’t pack your kid's bookbag. Instead, put a checklist on or above their backpacks to remind them what goes inside each morning. This will remind them to pause and think through what they’ll need each day.