Tips for Handling a Busy Family Schedule
Now that school is back in session for the year, you are probably finding yourself a little overwhelmed with your family’s schedule. There’s practices for sports teams, parent’s nights, lots of permission slips coming home and new teachers to get used to. Having your home be a hectic place is not good for anyone. It leaves you drained and your kids stressed out. Here are some tips for handling a busy family schedule.
Tips for Handling a Busy Family Schedule
Appoint times for homework. This is vital to making sure that there is time for it so your kid’s school work does not suffer. Make sure you also have a dedicated work space for them to do it in that contains all they need to do it in a timely and orderly fashion. If there is a specific time for it each day, you will know what your schedule can handle during that time and plan around it rather than try to fit it in last minute.
Use a calendar in a central location in your home. Make sure it is in a place that everyone can see it and add to it. This helps everyone be on the same page and know what to expect day to day.
Plan your meals. While Summer is kind of casual, it is important to make sure you schedules meals and time to eat them when things get hectic. This will keep you from hitting the drive-thru as often and save you money as well as your family’s health in the long run. It will also help you stick with a food budget.
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Discuss each day what to expect. Doing this can be as easy as talking about it on the way to school. Let all of your children and your spouse know what is going to happen in the afternoon when school gets out so they can also plan accordingly.
Use the time your child is gone at school wisely if you stay home. If you are a stay at home parent, it is easy to slip into the habit of using this time to relax especially if all of your children are in school, however, use this time to plan your meals, do your errands and take care of personal business.
Create a Plan B for many of the things on your schedule. If you already have a backup plan, when things don’t happen the way you had hoped for, you will already know what action to take.
Don’t over-schedule yourself and learn to say “No”. There is absolutely nothing wrong with turning down opportunities, activities or obligations if they will leave you without time to breathe and unable to do your other obligations in a timely manner. Prioritize what is important to you, your kids and your spouse and only do what makes sense.
Make time to relax. It is very valuable and important to schedule time for fun and relaxation. You will suffer from extreme burn-out if you don’t and find yourself miserable.
Great tips! I especially need to do better when it comes to meals on the nights my kids have after school activities!
The nights that we have school or extracurricular activities are my super easy nights or crockpot nights. Glad you enjoyed the tips and they help you!