| ="body"> | | | | John's High School - Tom. Children can begin their |
| Memorabilia - Children can create enough artwork | | | | own filing systems as soon as they start school. |
| for an entire gallery in a few short weeks. The | | | | The key to any effective filing system is a File |
| key here is choices; establish a particular | | | | Index. This can be a handwritten list, a word |
| place--e.g., basket, drawer, or shelf - for each child | | | | processing document, a spreadsheet, or you can |
| to put artwork. When that space is full, have | | | | use Taming the Paper Tiger software (see |
| one-on-one time with Mom and select your "three | | | | below). A File Index will help you avoid making a |
| favorites". This is a lesson in life, which is | | | | file for "Summer Camp" when you already have |
| continually full of choices. Then create a | | | | one for "Camp Wesley." Here's a sample of some |
| Memorabilia Box for each child where the | | | | other file headings for information that children |
| favorites are kept. Keep the box in a convenient | | | | might like to file: Cartoons I like English Homework |
| place, with the lid off, so it's easy to add new | | | | Family Information Friends Fun Things to Keep |
| items. Use the same approach for photographs. A | | | | Gift Ideas for me Gift Ideas for others Hairstyles |
| great parent-child activity is "scrap booking" - | | | | I like Math Homework New Year's Resolutions |
| have your child help make a family album, or get | | | | Phone Numbers/Addresses Recipes I can make |
| double prints, and let the children make their own. | | | | Savings Account Scouting Information Summer |
| If you're not into albums, use attractive boxes. If | | | | Camp Information |
| you're on a tight budget you can use shoeboxes. | | | | We live in an age when children spend a significant |
| Label the outside of each packet with the | | | | amount of time with computers - for doing their |
| contents (e.g., Lee's 5th birthday, Mary's soccer | | | | homework to spending time with their friends. |
| outfit, etc.) with the date. At the end of the year, | | | | Taming the Paper Tiger software (Check out for |
| store your calendar with the photos in case you | | | | a free 30-day trial!) is an easy way to organize |
| decide you want to create albums when the | | | | many of the things that matter to kids of all ages |
| children are grown and you need to retrieve | | | | - paper files, like the ones described above, as |
| more specific dates. The key here is "Less is | | | | well as audio and videotapes, CDs, collections. The |
| more." A few great photos are far superior to | | | | principle is simple. Simply attach a number to the |
| boxes of unidentified ones! One of the biggest | | | | item and tell the computer what the number |
| causes of clutter - and family disagreements -- is | | | | means. Items are automatically cross-referenced, |
| paper. Create a filing system for important | | | | so that searching for something in your own |
| papers. Create one file for each child for each | | | | room is as easy as searching for something on |
| area. For example, Medical Records - Mary, St. | | | | the Internet. |