How to NOT feel like your child’s assistant? Tip #2
Tip #2: Backwards planning and prioritizing with monthly calendar
While modeling is a foundational way to build these skills for students, autonomy at varying age levels is achievable. Try out some of the following tips for monthly planning. This is also a great opportunity to support local and small businesses too! Check out the links below for freebies and some of our favorites on Etsy.
For the family
A general family monthly calendar that is visual for all to see
On this calendar color-code each family member and together plug monthly commitments, activities, birthdays, appointments, etc. on it
Here are some of our favorites:
Acrylic monthly calendar with notes and to do section (pricer but will last for a long time!)
For young kids (K-2nd)
Hang the months of the year in order and a monthly calendar near their workspace. It can go on the wall by their desk or their bedroom to see when they wake up in the morning.
Use it to talk about the days of the week and the dates of the month
“Can you show me Monday? What month comes next? Can you show me Friday? Which day is closest to the end of the week? Where is the weekend?
Conversations like this can help familiarize them with the calendar and build awareness of time
Some of our favorite for younger kids:
free printable kids-friendly printable interactive monthly calendars
months of the year list and pinwheel on Etsy (like seen in images)
Etsy kids interactive velcro calendar, weather, day of the week!
For elementary (3rd-5th)
Have a monthly calendar near their workspace.
While you fill out the family calendar, have your child fill in the personal commitments that are theirs for that month (i.e doc appointments, days off school, tutoring, practice, games etc.)
Use this as a place to begin to hold space for them to write bigger assignment due dates, tests, projects etc. “If that is due in two weeks, can you imagine your final project? What steps do you need to take to get to that final project? When do you think you could start your project?”
Middle (6th-8th)
A visual wall calendar for quick monthly reference
A physical planner like the passion planner to color-code monthly activities, commitments, bigger assignments, due dates
Practice transferring paper calendar and google calendar teaching how to set reminders, notes
Use this as a place to begin to hold space for them to write bigger assignment due dates, tests, projects etc. “If that is due in two weeks, can you imagine your final project? What steps do you need to take to get to that final project? When do you think you could start your project?”
High School (9th-12th)
A visual wall calendar for quick monthly reference
A physical planner like the passion planner to color-code monthly activities, commitments, bigger assignments, due dates
Use of both paper calendar and google calendar
Some favorites:
