Getting Organized for Academic Success - One Simple Key Will Unlock Many Doors

You look at her in disbelief as she tells you that you must go NOW and purchase the project board for the science project! She has to turn in the "first exhibit" which is a rough draft of sorts of the whole project. If it is not turned in tomorrow she will lose a letter grade on the project. You remember clearly when you had to make an emergency trip to the public library because she left the book for the book report in her locker at school.
She promised to let you know these deadlines in advance so you could successfully schedule your time and not have these unexpected "emergencies".
These unexpected "emergencies" wreak havoc on your schedule.
So now here's your key: When you're so frustrated and have smoke coming out your ears you probably want to scream "Why can't you just tell me BEFORE the last minute?" STOP! Take as many deep breaths as you need (don't hyperventilate now) and get calm and quiet.

Remember she did not create this crisis on purpose.

Instead of those upset words you were going to blast her with just ask yourself: "What makes me GLAD about her?" Maybe she is a great friend. Maybe she has a generous heart.

As you focus on this wonderful quality in the very child who has just destroyed your evening schedule your feelings will shift.
(Even that smoke will stop coming out of your ears.) Now that you are centered and calm you can best deal with having to redo your evening schedule (or not). When you are calm and approach your child in a supportive manner rather than blaming and making her wrong, she will be much more receptive to hear you. Then you can both make the best of this difficult situation. This is also a good time to mention that you and she can work together to help her develop a system so that she can let you know ahead of time from now on when she needs materials for school.
Solving her immediate problem in a supportive manner at the time of crisis will open the door for a productive problem solving conversation the next day when the deadline has been met and the crisis is over.
If you are always supportive and constructive in times of crisis your child will be willing to listen and brainstorm with you on a wide range of topics.

(This open door can truly come in handy in the later teen age years.) If you can be kind and constructive during crisis that key will open the door to many productive problem solving conversations with your child in the future as you put procedures in place to help her get organized for academic success.