MAKE A PIE CHART

A few years ago, when Chelsey Hagan of Madison, Connecticut, then seven, was having trouble getting organized, mom Lynn helped plan her morning by drawing a pie chart on a paper plate. She and Chelsey assigned an activity to each 5- to 15-minute segment, from "wake up" to "brush teeth" to "out the door."

Over the ensuing weeks, they adjusted the times and tasks until the routine was so smooth Chelsey no longer needed the chart. "It was easy and self-motivating because she could see what amount of time she needed," says Lynn.

YOU'RE ON THE AIR

When Katrina Elliott of Pocatello, Idaho, was a child, her mom had a neat trick for getting all nine kids out of the house on time. Every few months, says Katrina, the kids worked together to create a "radio show." Using a tape recorder, they alternated favorite songs with time and task reminders ("There are twenty minutes left: Brush your teeth!").

"It was fun because Mom was not telling us what to do. We were telling ourselves." Katrina's daughter, Abigail, is just six months old, but when she reaches school age, Katrina plans to introduce her to the fun of hosting her own morning show, too.