Homeschooling moms can use Personality Based Time Management© to help them with their family.  When you learn how to define your child's personality, it makes it easier to know when they will willingly work on chores or schoolwork and when they need time alone.  (The same goes for your husband; once you learn if he's the type that likes to play with the kids when he gets home or needs a hot meal first, it will make your relationship better.)  And since the original Personality Based Time Managment© E-Book is 19 pages or so, I thought this would be a good start that's short, sweet, and to the point.  Our original book is about Personality Based Time Managment© as it pertains to women, but watch for our new E-Book coming this summer on Personality Based Time Management as it pertains to kids!

We can simplify the aspect of Personality Based Time Management© or many personality assessments for that matter by using just a couple of variables. Now of course people are much more complex than this. But in this instant gratification generation, information such as this is fun, easy to read and doesn't take an hour to take a test.

Start with just two variables:

1. Are you a people person or no?

2. Are you organized or disorganized?

A people person gets energized by people. They find refreshment in going out to a crowded place or chatting for a bit with a friend. They tend not to thrive on quiet environments in general. Someone who is not a people person does not want to be around people when they need to get energized. Their energy comes from having the calm, quiet environment; ie: reading a book, taking a nap, resting their mind during this time.

For homeschooling families, if you have a child who is a people person, then putting him or her in a quiet setting could hurt his or her concentration.  This Type B child needs at least a little background music or others working in the room so it's not so quiet.  They can thrive in a somewhat unstructured environment as they get bored easily.  But some structure is needed for all people.  So try not to fly by the seat of your pants during the day.  The Type A child on the other hand likes the quiet, as this personality needs the structure and calm environment.

I'm a people person and it shocks others when I appear exhausted at the end of the day, yet get energized after a few minutes into my time with them. What many of them don't know is that I become more fatigued from being alone in front of the computer or alone in my office, than from working with people all day. Of course there's a balance and I LOVE that balance of 2/3 of the day with people, the other 1/3 without.   So can you imagine how a Type B child who is homeschooled would thrive on field trips, group projects, or other projects that would have them share with others?

Noticing how you or the kids feel during alone time or with people can help all of you learn when to remove yourself or the kids from a setting, or put yourself or the kids into one.

The Type A typically likes more solitude than the Type B. That's why the Type A child tends to appear more together than the Type B child. However, that doesn't mean that the Type A does not like to spend time with others. To me it means that their brain needs some rest to process all that's been going on.  They also like to keep their lessons in order and finish schoolwork before they take a break.  Don't be surprised if these kids have an organized list in their notebook of what needs to be done next.

The Type B typically will forgo finishing schoolwork if it's time for a break.  They like to get up and out to have fun with friends.  If no one is around the Type B child might get to some schoolwork, then either start daydreaming or wander off to find something to do where others are present. Type B's have a hard time completing work because, they procrastinate, daydream, or get overwhelmed easily.  I found with my 3 children, my type b's had a difficult time comprehending actual time.  That's why I went over time incriments and wrote about it in my article below called, "Dealing With Time From A Different Perspective."

An organized person thinks logically and is often able to organize with ease. This is typically (but not set in stone) the description of Type A people. Organizing comes naturally to them because their brain functions in a very logical manner. They can see how things should be organized whether it be schoolwork or cleaning their bedroom, just by looking at the space or work needed to be done, (which frankly used to drain my brain until I learned how to do the same thing. Organizing can be learned.).

Type A children are not naturally disorganized but can become that way if they are overwhelmed.  If they are the Type A perfectionist child then they tend to overwhelm themselves with trying to make things just right.  So mom, watch for the compulsive tendencies in your child to help them learn to lighten up, otherwise, they turn into adult heart patients.

Disorganized kids usually have too much on their plate or have not been taught "how to" organize. Therefore tasks of organizing or keeping on top of their schoolwork are daunting at best.  I've written an article on my website about learning to clean and organize my room called, "Chores Have Purpose."   But when it came to schoolwork, my parents (while being very well-meaning) did a lot of my work for me.  I could not comprehend time as it actually was.  Almost all tasks seemed so overwhelming that my parents either did their best to show me or if they couldn't figure out how to show me, they did the work for me to help me "feel" better.  Well now that I look back I see that I learned how to manipulate them into doing most of my work for me.  I can remember one time my mom read most of a Nancy Drew book to me over a weekend to help me finish in time to do a report.  She had me read a chapter and would show me how many pages I had to get through before she'd come in and read to me.  If I whined enough, she'd finish that chapter and go onto the next.  (Although I must admit that once I saw how an entire book like that could be read in less than two days off and on, I started to read a lot more.)

Here's a list of ideas that might help. Have your children:

A. Start with an easy task first.

B. Complete it and then choose a more difficult task.

     Remember that giving only a couple of choices lessens confusion.

C. Complete the difficult task and start on another easy task again.


Then show your child how far they've gotten. See if that helps them get going.



D. Help them figure out what they can do on their own.

E. Enlist one of their Type A friends to help with some of their projects.

F. Reward them for what they've accomplished.

G. Learn their moods and what makes them feel good or bad.

And Finally...

H. Try to have kids over who lift your kids up, not tear them down. Nice kids are very important in your child's life.

Click here to purchase our Personality Based Time Management™ E-Book and use this coupon code: 9bd7fa5d66 - to receive $5 OFF!

©2007 Susie Glennan

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            BIO: Susie Glennan has been in direct sales for over 23 years, home schooled & ran a daycare for 8 years, is a teacher, technology trainer, Toastmaster, Speaker, and Author of numerous articles that have been published in magazines and across the web. She teaches personality based time management & other seminars on various topics. Her passion is teaching others to use their God given personalities to enhance their lives and relationships by effectively managing their time and staying true to the values in life that are most important.     

For more organizing articles & free downloads for homeschoolers, click here and scroll down to the homeschooling section.   

Susie has been happily married since 1982, has four children and 2 grandchildren. Her home is in beautiful CA. She is also the President of The Busy Woman, Inc. - DBA: The Busy Woman's Daily Planner®. The company provides daily planners, purses, car & home organizers, Memory Books, and other organizing tools to help enhance the busy life of today’s family. The company contact info is: www.thebusywoman.com or 800-848-7715.          

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