Due to “work circumstances”, I *got* to be a solo parent for a little span of time.
The timing is not exactly what I hoped for, but it is what it is.
I have been thinking and contemplating it for weeks.
Trying to rack my brain to make everything the easiest that I could.
I have always considered myself a strict scheduler. When the kids were little we ate breakfast at 8 am, park at 10 am, lunch at 12, naps til 2 (or later if their little bodies slept).
This lasted until they each entered kindergarten and
then I still continued this with the remaining at home kids.
Then we would eat dinner at 5:30, have baths and bedtime at 7 SHARP.
There are still days when the kids are in their beds reading at 7.
But now we don’t push lights out until 8.
Yep even today 8 o’clock is our bedtime.
My personality type tells me that I thrive being scheduled. The times in my life when I am out of control is when I let the schedule go. So in an effort to keep myself in control while we are going through this “work circumstance” I got to scheduling. (Kind of funny considering that my husband is a professional scheduler! But believe me it doesn’t work to delegate this schedule to him. I need to be the one in control.) So schedule I did.
I scheduled our meals. (Kraft Foods)
This is the easiest meal planning I have ever done.
And most if it is in my pantry bought very cheaply with coupons.
Because I know the kids are easy, then I too scheduled out my meals.
Healthy meals make it a piece of cake to get myself ready for work everyday.
The next thing I scheduled was our after school hours. With kids in 3 different grades, our homework loads vary. I can’t necessarily schedule this time out by the minute. But I can divide out their chores and then after their chores are done it is outside to play and enjoy the down right gorgeous Arizona weather we are experiencing. Because at our house we have to rotate the boring chores among the kids. This is what I came up with.
Chore Charts. They rotate certain boring things every week.
My favorite part…helping with Moms chores.
I have to admit that one of the “perks” I find about being a working mom (full or part) is that EVERYONE has to pitch in to keep the house as clean and as organized and tidy as it took mom to do while everyone else worked and attended school. You know, the kids think the magic elf came in and cleaned up their room while they were away. I have realized what a dis-service this is to everyone. No one appreciates mom, kids get lazy, mom gets frustrated, complains to dad, dad gets frustrated and it makes for a not so happy home. So chore charts we have.
My next favorite part is the chalkboard message area at the very bottom.
This is the area that anyone can write little notes to the kids telling them what a great job they did with their chores. Everyone loves a little positive feedback.
The next thing I realized in my pondering, the more I write things down, the less I have to yell. Hence this was created. No more repeating, I just have to put my mommy eyes on and point. Seems to work rather well.
(I covered the ugly brown frame with this cute duct tape. Perfect for spring and summer!)
So here we are, skating through this experience scheduled to death with signs posted.
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