30. Curtail Your Cords
We are a plugged-in society. Never before have children had so many electronic devices that require cords, chargers, and headphones. Add to those the multiple USB cables that digital equipment requires in order to connect our cameras and MP3 players to the computer, plus video game consoles, controls, and games, and we've got a lot of electronic equipment and accessories to keep track of. These devices are not cheap, so it would be beneficial to keep them in a safe place where they can't get damaged or lost.
Our family recently went on a vacation. As with every vacation, I started with a list to help the kids pack their backpacks with toys and activities. The list included: a PSP, Nintendo DS, cell phone, MP3 players, digital camera, a digital video camera and chargers for each. When I looked in my teenager's carry-on bag it looked like she had cleaned up at RadioShack! Luckily she had made quilted bags for each of her small electronics to hold the chargers and headphones and to keep them protected as we traveled.
To help your children keep their electronic devices working properly and to keep them from getting lost or damaged, you can set up a home base and a method of travel for their phones, MP3 players, cameras, and games. The home base will be where they keep and charge the units when they are home. The method of travel will be the case that they use when they have the device with them on the go.
If you search online, you can find charging stations ranging in price from twenty dollars to two hundred dollars. Most of these hold three electronic devices and are incorporated into a desktop organizer. With that in mind, you can easily find one to match your home office, your kitchen, or your child's bedroom décor. But first decide where the best place is for your children to store their electronics when they are not in their backpacks, purses, or pockets. A charging station is a great way to keep your electronics together and keep the wires out of sight. However, it is best to keep the charging cords unplugged until they are needed. According to the US Department of Energy, appliances continue to draw electricity while the products are turned off, and in the average home nearly seventy-five percent of all electricity used to power electronics is consumed by products that are switched off. You may have noticed that a charger that is plugged into the wall will be warm even if the device is not plugged in. That is because it is still drawing electricity. Unplugging these cords will also cut down on greenhouse gases. Part of being organized is being efficient, and that includes energy efficient in your home. It's never too early for your children to learn these lessons.
Charging Station. A charging station lets you charge multiple devices in one location and keeps the cords neatly out of sight.
If you don't have room for a charging station, you can still keep your electronics organized by having a bag or case for each device. A homemade case can be made with fleece or a soft, quilted material that is sewn into a small rectangle with a drawstring closer. If you want to be really creative, you can sew on a patch or have it embroidered to identify what is in the bag, such as “camera” or “phone.” Be sure the container can hold the cord and/or headphones and games that go with the item. Whether it's homemade or store-bought, a case will protect each unit from getting scratched or damaged, especially if the items are being transported in a purse or backpack on a daily basis. Electronic stores usually have cases for each type of game system, but your kids can also use a large pencil case to hold their devices, chargers, and game disks or cartridges. If your child has trouble with losing small things, make a suggestion to keep the game disk in the large plastic case that it comes in. These are about the size of a DVD case and are easier to find, although bulkier to carry. When your child uses the devices at home, have one designated spot where she always puts them back. This could be a table in the entrance of your home, a desk or shelf in your child's bedroom, or a bedside table. Have her keep the charger in this location at all times unless she will be traveling and needs to bring the charger with her.
If you have cords that are being kept separate from the device they belong to, then it is a good idea to label the cords. This can be done simply with a blank, white address label that you wrap around the cord and stick to itself, then write the name of the device on the label. This works well with USB cords that are used to connect cameras or MP3 players to computers. Kids can keep these cords in a desk drawer where the computer is, and just pull them out as needed. To find all sorts of unique ways to wind up and store cords and cables, check out this Web site: www.cableorganizer.com.
As you go through this process of helping your children organize their electronics and all the accessories that go with them, it's a good time to also talk about the responsible use of these devices. Make sure your children know when they are allowed to use each of these items, and for what length of time. Many times children acquire these gadgets and there is no discussion about how to use them. For instance, you might not want your child talking or texting on a cell phone after a certain hour of the day. Or the school might not allow your child to bring in electronic games or cameras. If you find that your child is using these electronics for an extended period of time, then it's a good idea to establish the home base in a place where you have control over the usage. In other words, if you want your child reading at night before bed and not talking on the phone or playing video games, make sure the devices are “put to bed” first at their docking station in a common area of the home. For children who need to be supervised on their use of electronics, it's not a good idea to keep them in their bedroom. This can change as the child matures. Likewise, if you want your child to use her cell phone only in case of emergency, limit the hours she has to talk on it, and keep it somewhere you can see it until she leaves the house. Get your child in the habit of packing the phone in her backpack in the morning before school, and returning it to the designated drawer, charging station, or table when she returns. You can treat this like any other school supply that gets packed and unpacked each day. If you find it hard to keep track of how long each child spends on each device, you can always make a chart like the one on page 128. List the device, where it can be used, and for what length of time it can be used, along with any other conditions you want to establish.
In addition to portable electronic devices, most families have some sort of plug-in gaming device like a PlayStation, an Xbox, or a Wii. These also come with their own arsenals of attachments, wires, and of course, games! The toilet paper roll method described on page 127 works well to contain the power cords when the device is not plugged into the TV and to wrap up cords to the attachments. It's best not to wrap the cord tightly around the device because this pulls at the connection of the cord and could possibly tear it. Depending on how many attachments (paddles, joy sticks, controllers) you have, you can store them in a nice wicker basket on a shelf or in a cabinet by the TV. If you've got a lot, maybe keep the most used items out and store the other peripherals in a box in a closet or cabinet. Because the games come in containers very much like DVDs, my family stores them in the same way — on a bookshelf by the TV. The games are kept separate from the videos by a bookend. Again, depending on how many you own, a wicker basket or decorative box that can be found at any home store will also work well for keeping video games organized. As with any organizing task, compile what you have, get rid of any that are broken or you are not using, and find a nice container that is big enough for keeping all your controls and games in one spot.
| CHILD | CELL PHONE | MP3 PLAYER | HANDHELD VIDEO GAME PLAYER |
|---|---|---|---|
|
John (eleven years old) |
For calling parents only. | Thirty minutes at a time when riding in the car or playing in your room. Not at school. | Thirty minutes at a time, only on weekends. Not at school. |
| Kathy (sixteen years old) |
Up to two hours per month, unlimited texting. Not after 10 P.M. Never while driving. | When riding in a car no headphones while driving. In your room after home-work is complete. | Thirty minutes at a time after home-work is complete. |
Electronic Usage Chart. This simple chart lets your children know when and where they can use their electronic devices.