How I Control Our Chaos With a Chart
Trying to keep the family running smoothly and efficiently is a huge task for any parent. I wanted to share with you one of the secrets that I use to keep on top of everything in our family. I have a big chart on my refrigerator that reminds me of each person’s weekly events and cuts down on the chaos of trying to remember it all myself everyday.
At our house, we have a helper of the day. That helper helps me do small tasks around the house like… rinsing off dishes, setting the table, and running the vacuum. They also lead the other kids to the car when it is time to leave the house and say grace at dinner. Having the rotating title of Helper of the Day has eliminated a lot of fights in our home among the children. The chart on my refrigerator reminds me whose day is whose at a quick glance so that I do not have to try to keep track in my head.
Another helpful thing that I have listed on the chart is the name of the special classes my son’s first grade class has each day. Now, I can easily see that he needs his library books on Tuesdays, and PE shoes on Monday and Wednesday. He used to get upset with me on days when I would not remember and he would have to run in PE with flip flop shoes on.
We have several after school activities that the kids participate in and the chart on my refrigerator reminds me which nights we have choir and which nights we have Tae Kwon Doe. It has helped me not to overlook any commitments that we have and make sure that we have the right equipment and bags in the car after school.
I have saved my chart as a template on my computer so each week we add events that differ from our regular routine. This has helped everyone keep up to date with the events of the week at a glance. I write down days that my son has requested a home lunch or a school lunch after we review the menu for the upcoming week together. I write down work schedules for my husband so that I remember where he will be and when. I have even begun plugging in the meals for the day so that I know at a quick glance in the morning what to lay out for dinner that night. We make note of appointments and meetings on the chart also to remind all of us of upcoming events.
I love my chart, it has really helped me and my family stay better organized and less frazzled each day. I hope that you are able to use this simple idea in your family to help you control your own chaos… because let’s face it, as parents that is our number one job description… keep the chaos to a minimum.
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