A few years back I found myself running the dishwasher every day with the top rack full of cups because even though we had a "One cup a day" rule, nobody could remember which cup was theirs from breakfast to lunch. That's when I decided that color codes were to be our saviour (small "s").
I didn't invite the girls to choose, I just assigned. And I assigned well. It turns out that most everything comes in blue, green and orange. Or at least variations on those colors with purple (for blue) and yellow, red or in a pinch, brown (for orange).
After success with the cups, I started applying our color codes to everything within reason.
Toy baskets:
Pencil cases. Pencils. Sharpeners:
Little dots of color on the toy bins help everyone know who is allowed in which bin:
And finally, our school schedule chart. Each laminated strip represents a chunk of time, and within each strip, my girls (and I!) know exactly what they are supposed to be doing because their tasks are color coded too.
WOW! Those pictures make my life look really good! In control. Honestly, things don't "fit" as well as it looks like they should most days. Children (and mothers) are people that way, I guess.P.S. My Fifi wants to be sure you know that I don't make them use only their assigned color for dressing and drawing.
12 comments:
LOL @ Fifi!
I've been color coding too for some time. If I had time, I'd post my color coding stuff. Bath towels, Plaques the bath towels hang on, tooth brushes, school notebooks, pencil cases, cups, swim trunks, UNDERWEAR, goggles...whatever and whenever I can. Helps with boys who have to ask me all the time whose are whose!
I, too, have been color coding for some time. Some was used when the kids were younger and some now. I like the cup idea. We used to have colored coded for when they were younger, but I need new ones for "big kids" now. We, too, end up with tons of cups because people forget whose is whose!
I color code their school supplies, my schedules, their chore chart card, bath towels, etc. Whenever I can, I do it!
Thanks for sharing how you do it! I like the idea of bins with who can access what. That would have been very helpful for my kids when all 4 were sharing one room! Now that there is a girl and a boy room, we don't have much problem with whose is whose/who can touch any more.
Wow! I am impressed! You do look so organized. We color code also, but not to that extent. Gonna have to think where I can implement it.
My WFMWis about saving time and money.
You, my dear, are a genius! This is seriously a fantastic idea! Thanks!
I am speechless. OK, well I must ask, if you ever post about how the girls like this, please let me know! I only have 2 boys both under 4, and they share everything now, but this will come in handy later. My big questions are, how does this affect sharing, and do the girls like it--even when it means they cannot use the purple basket for example.
What a neat idea!
I thank tupperware for my color coded cups! Ha! How cute! Thanks for the reminder. Grandma's always need reminding!
Now THAT'S a great idea. It really is. I wish I'd thought of it years ago. Actually, this could even work on the grownups who come over here and use every last glass in my house.
This is such a great idea, I have to remember this for my future children!
I used to try and colour code the lads socks, but eventually, I think by the time they were about 15 or so, it was such hard work sewing in coloured cotton in the inside of their socks!
Now with three men with very similar socks I just leave it to them to try and work out whose socks are whose because even if I try to buy three different styles for them all I still get confussed.
Well, this just makes you look all kinds of organized! Thanks so much for the fabulous tip! It's a good one!
Thank you for answering my questions! :) I appreciate it and love hearing how this works. It is so helpful to glean wisdom that I can use now and in the future.
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