The Power of a Checklist

When my children were younger, I often found myself repeating the same set of directions. Eventually, after many repetitions, they would cast woeful eyes at me and mutter, "You don't have to yell." I even used my phone to record me saying the tasks I needed the kids to complete before we left the house and then played it repeatedly. I worked hard to be a "Mindful Mom."

Then, I discovered the power of a checklist! It provided a mechanism for me to empower my kids to complete their jobs with minimal nagging. Instead of me taking on the role of their frontal lobe and telling them what they needed to do, I could remind them to use their checklist. It showed every necessary step to be taken to get ready for bed, clean their room, get prepared for school, or make their lunch. It was life-changing! When my kids were little, pictures went alongside words. When they got older and were fluent in the steps, I added new measures. After days or months of following the checklist, my children improved in the completion of multiple steps as the actions were becoming part of their motor memory.

A checklist provides a visual reminder of multistep directions your child needs to follow. For students who have auditory processing issues or short-term memory challenges, checklists allow them to execute each part without the need to process and hold onto the step auditorially. "Look at your checklist and check off the steps" teaches independence and the ability to use resources.

Students of all ages benefit from visual tools like checklists to help them remember multi-step directions such as the steps of long division, how to revise an essay, what they need for the start of each day, or the elements necessary to complete a project. Some students benefit from a checklist at their seats versus others who use the wall or whiteboard. This is a skill that will carry over into adulthood. Even today, I am most successful when I write down all of the tasks I need to accomplish and cross them off one by one.

Wishing you a wonderfully productive weekend,