Category: Back To School / Kids

A Seasoned Mom’s Tips for Adventures with Kids

I love living in Chicago, with it’s great opportunities for field trips and adventures!   We had a great day at the Museum of Science and Industry yesterday, and as we wound our way through the awesome exhibits, I was reminded of some of the truths I’ve learned by experience over the years.

  1. Go early.  Check out your destination’s website, and find out how early you can enter (for example, MSI opened at 9:30 and we hit the door soon after).  Trust me, early is always better. Parking is quicker, lines are shorter, crowds are smaller.  Go Early.
  2. Plan ahead.  Check out the website for times, parking and logistics, or get the app if your destination offers one.  Buy tickets online, to avoid admission lines when you arrive.  Pick up a map right away, if it’s a new destination for you (and map reading is a great skill for your kids to learn).
  3. Ask for Memberships as gifts.  In 18 years of parenting, we’ve had annual memberships to Brookfield Zoo, the Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium, receiving many of these as gifts for Christmas.  Just one trip to one of these locations can make the membership worth the price, and any additional visits through the year show how valuable that membership can be, with “free” admission, food and parking discounts, special events, etc.
  4. Don’t expect to experience the whole destination in one day.  Expecting to spend 10 hours at a zoo / museum / destination with small children is delusional, sorry to say.   I’m an adult, and I will admit to being fried after 5 or 6 hours.  By about 2 pm yesterday, we all were ready to head home.  2 pm was when all the exhibits got really crowded, so we didn’t mind leaving.  When my kids were younger, that 5 or 6 hour time limit usually had us hitting nap time on the drive home, which worked out for everyone (and having a membership means you can go back multiple times to explore).
  5. Pack a lunch. This is not just a money saving tactic, though it certainly will save money. Packing a lunch ensures there is food your child will actually eat; helps avoid long lines at lunch time; and enables occasional snacking when everyone starts to get a little hungry. Leave yourself a cooler in the car, for the ride home, too, with water bottles and more healthy snacks.
  6. Mandatory potty breaks from everyone.   When one person has to go, everyone goes.  And scout out those restrooms when you arrive.
  7. Review Rules of Conduct.  There was a lost little boy at the museum yesterday who just broke my heart.  Happily, he was found just moments after I first saw him, but he was so upset.  His mom did all the right things, though, hugging and calming first, then reminding of the rules.  So, what are your rules (and know that rules will change as your children age)? There are always the “Be Polite, Take Turns, Listen for Directions, etc”, but on adventures, we add: Don’t range too far ahead; check in occasionally; don’t leave an exhibit until you find me; if we get separated, stay where you are and ask for help, etc..
  8. Have your children memorize your cell phone number, or put a business card in their pocket.   Make sure they can say their own full name, your full name and cell phone number, in case they get separated from you.

Happy Adventures!!

Kids and Organizing and Room Cleaning, Oh My!

Kids and Organizing and Room Cleaning have come up in many conversations lately, so obviously there’s a need for kids to organize and clean their space.  But we have to remember that very often, our kids need to learn how to do these things before we can expect them to just “go clean their rooms” when asked.

A few years ago, I helped a man organize his office, and he told me that I was the first person who hadn’t yelled at him to get organized.  His childhood home was not organized, and his frustrated mom would tell the kids to go clean their rooms without teaching the kids what that actually meant.  He had never learned how to clean or organize, and his own family got frustrated with him, too.

As children, we learn to speak, walk and eat on our own.  We learn to socialize and share and grow.  We learn how to study, play music or perhaps play a sport.  We learn to brush our teeth, cook a meal, mow the grass or sew a button.  But we’re not always taught how to organize, or to clean our room.  Some of us are born organized, but others have to learn to organize, and luckily, it is a learnable skill, just like anything else.  But we still have to be taught, or pick up the skills along the way.

Even though it is so much quicker and easier to just clean the room yourself, take the time to Teach your Children how to Organize and Clean their room.  Talk about why we need to clean and organize (saves time, saves money, inspires trust, boosts self confidence and mood, even if we don’t think it does).   Teach and model and encourage.
  • If you’re going to talk the talk, you had better walk the walk.  Make your own bed, pick up dirty laundry, put away clean laundry,  take out your trash.
  • Give every room the tools to clean and organize: a laundry hamper and a trash can.  Every room needs both, so clutter is less likely to pile up.
  • Have everyone start with the basics, every day.  Make the bed, pick up dirty laundry, and put away clean clothes.  EVERY DAY.
  • Create a few rules for everyone to obey, like No Food In the Bedrooms.  Simple, straightforward, and it will save lots of mess later!
  • Celebrate and corral treasures (defined here as objects that we don’t understand, but our child completely adores).  Priceless art, plastic action figures, trophies, plastic jewelry or a gum wrapper from a birthday party.  Some kids (and adults) value EVERYTHING and then clutter piles up.  Install a couple shelves for treasures, dedicated to for those loved objects. Then explain that once the shelves are full, something has to leave the shelf before a new item is added.  Or create a treasure box, and let the same rule apply.  Don’t edit the shelf or bin for your child, but stick to the rule and contain the “treasures”.
  • Cultivate the habit of periodic purges. For example, the Back to School Clothes Review every August.  Or, when our boys were younger, we would go all review toys and books every Fall in prep for the holidays and birthdays, tossing any that were broken, and donating any that were either “too young” for them, or that they just didn’t play with.  (Knowing new toys were coming made it easier for the kids to purge the old stuff).
  • Give your kids a process.  This is on a sign in my sons’ room:
    How to Clean Your Room (Do all of these in this order):
    • Hang up towel
    • Fold blankets
    • Straighten up bed
    • Pick up dirty laundry and hangers, put all in the hamper
    • Put away clean laundry
    • Close dresser drawers completely
    • Put away hats/bags / belts, etc. in appropriate places
    • Put away books on shelf – actually put them away
    • Tidy up surfaces on desk, dresser, etc.
    • Now we can dust, vacuum and take out the trash.
Take some time now to teach others how to clean and organize their space, and reap the benefits for life!

“How Do You Get Out The Door On Time?”

A client recently asked: “How Do You Get Out The Door On Time?”

I love this question for its universality – we all may struggle with this sometimes, whether getting the kids to school in the morning, getting out the door to go to the office or catch the train, or perhaps, like me, heading out to a client’s home or business.  So look at each suggestion, and determine how you can implement positive change!

I asked some fellow working professionals / parents for their best suggestions  – thanks to all who responded!  And here are the Top 5 Suggestions:

  1. “Prep as much as you can the night before” (this applies to us all, not just parents).  This was by far the most popular suggestion among the people I asked.  Spend time every evening getting ready for the next day.  Pack your lunch(es), lay out outfits, collect gear (coats, backpack, shoes, papers) from around the house and place it all by the door.   Look at the schedule for other activities coming up, and prepare your gym bag, band instrument, sports uniform, etc., too.
  1.  “Get up earlier than everyone else”. Be sure to get yourself up and moving in the morning before you are expected to get any one else up and moving.  Even 30 minutes gives you a chance to shower, start your coffee and a load of clothes, and spend a few moments strategizing your day.
  1. Establish What Time is “On Time”:   I really wish that some kind and experienced parent had told me 15 years ago how the school day really begins.   I know now, so learn from my experience.  “The school doors open at 8:00 am, and the Preschool day begins at 8:10” is code for  – “be there, waiting with your student, at 8 am, and your child needs to be in his seat and ready to learn at  8:10.”  No kid wants to be the late kid.  No parents wants to be the late parent.  Save yourselves some stress, and aim for Early.  A little league coach laid it out for us many years ago.  Early is On Time.  On Time is Late.

Here are some other questions to ask yourself, when determining What Time is On Time? Where are you going?  How will you get there?  How long will Plan B take if you have to use it?  What is the earliest you can arrive?  How long does it take for you / your child to get from the back door to buckled in the car and leaving the driveway (could be 5 minutes some days!)? How long does it take to get from the parking lot to the door?

  1. “Get off Facebook.” …and email, and every other screen until you and your children are ready to leave. Yes. every screen, for your family and FOR YOU.  ( I know, its scary, but it’s worth it).  When you’ve gotten better at getting out the Door on Time, perhaps you can add screen time back into your morning schedule.   (What makes this suggestion ironic is that I asked the question via Facebook on a school morning!)
  1. “A morning soundtrack”.  At a recent meeting, a woman mentioned her morning affirmations.  In passing, as in “of course, because everyone does these already”.  Which made me inwardly cringe because, well, no I don’t have morning affirmations.  And the thoughts start to spin – maybe I should have them, how am I going to fit one more thing in my morning, blah, blah, blah.  And then, as I usually do when I start to get stressed, I turned to a short prayer, a few deep breaths and then music.  And the lightbulb went off in my head!  A-Ha!!  Prayer, deep breathing and music ARE my affirmations.  I was loading up my Morning Mix playlist just this morning, adding the songs that make me dance and sing along (loudly).  What music would get you moving in the morning?

So, try one of these suggestions this week, and see what helps you Get Out The Door On Time!

Back To School: Setting Up “After School” For Success

Back To School is a great time to review and update our time management routines, and the time window between 3 pm and dinnertime is a busy one!  Make positive changes this week, and  create a routine that works for everyone.  Here’s how:
Build in a little decompression time when you (or your student) arrive:
There are often rituals attached to this, like changing out of work or school clothes, and/or having a snack and a quick break upon coming home to help make the transition from work or school back to home.  A little down time gives our brains and bodies time to rest and then jump back into action!
Assess your afternoon and evening plans:  
Check the calendar for events or games, and the school Planners for work or homework assignments.  It is important to do this early, in case someone forgot something at school or the office – there may still be time to retrieve missing books or resources!
Assess tomorrow, too:  
Take just a few moments to look ahead to tomorrow’s schedule, too, and identify any potential snags or changes.  In addition, planning ahead can help avoid a 10 pm washing of the gym uniform or shopping for surprise supplies or snacks (is this just me?)!
Make Space for Homework:
Dining room table? Kitchen counter? A desk in each bedroom?  Establish a regular place for your students to complete their homework.  Keep in mind, too, that these days homework involves technology.  So in addition to a work space, comfortable chair and good lighting, make sure there is computer access, too!
Since tech is so important, as your student comes home with website info, log into and bookmark the various resource websites, create your accounts and then note usernames and passwords on a page or spreadsheet per student.
Create a Homework caddy:
We have a homework caddy basket on the kitchen desk that holds homework supplies.  Create your own, including but not limited to: crayons, markers and colored pencils; pens, pencils and highlighters; scissors, glue and tape; calculator, ruler and index cards (google “Homework Caddy” if you want more ideas).
Set Up Your Landing and Launch Pad:
What door does everyone use? Set up your Landing and Launch Pad at the favorite door. Hooks for outerwear and accessories, and some for backpacks and sports bags, too.  I have written many blogs about this topic, check them out here!
The key to Landing and Launch Success isn’t the space, necessarily, but the HABITS created around our comings and goings.   The most fabulous cubbies or benches or hooks or organizational tools in the world are a waste of time and money if we don’t create habits to use them.
EVERYONE can create a habit to:
  • Hang up coats and bags when they come in the door
  • Keep shoes by the door
  • Put keys and wallets and other important items in the same place every day
  • Take out and deliver-to-parents papers that require parental action every day
  • Place completed homework and books back in the back-packs when work is completed, and backpacks at the Landing and Launch Pad for easy departures in the morning
  • Review tomorrow’s schedule today and line up stuff accordingly (like band instruments, soccer uniforms) at the Launch Pad tonight

Dedicate some time and thought to your after school / home from work routine this week, and make your days work better for you and your family!  You CAN do this!  Have a great week.

Back To School: Mornings!  Keep It Simple, Sweetie!

Life’s funny some days.  I planned to write my “keep your morning as simple as possible” article this morning.Last night, one son had a stomach bug – poor guy!  And sick son and older brother share a room, so older brother was up, too, and helped take care of sick brother, which was just so sweet.  Of course, I was up, too.  Now I am tired, the teens are still sleeping, the laundry is going and I am looking forward to a trip to the doctor and a day of cleaning from top to bottom (in response to the stomach bug of course).

However, my Not-At-All-Routine morning today highlights the point I want to make with my this week’s article, and that is to “Keep Your Mornings as Simple As Possible!”

Here’s how:

First Things First, Focus on Survival.

Food, clothing, shelter, safety.  Make sure all of these are taking care of, before moving on to anything else.  Feed your self and your people.  Get clean, get clothed and get ready for school. Our days are starting even earlier this school year, so Focus is essential.  I am still waiting to see how the middle school schedule pans out, but I believe my youngest will be starting by 7:30 am at least 2 days a week.  So, to help me focus, my goal is to avoid computer / facebook / email before everyone’s out of the house.  5:30 – 7:30 am will be about getting everyone up, off to school or work, and home maintenance.   After that, I can look at other things.

Limit Options.   Decision making slows us down.

My teenagers and I had a conversation over the weekend that went something like this:

Me: “You have to eat breakfast before school this year.  I know you don’t always manage a healthy lunch, so you’ve got to ace breakfast.  What will you eat every day?”

Them:  to paraphrase….”toaster waffles,  we like toaster waffles.  And costco pre-cooked bacon. We like that, too.”

Me: “So, if I keep toaster waffles and bacon on hand, you will eat breakfast in the morning?”

Them: “Yes.”

Cool.  We have a deal.

I will not try to fill every possibility as I may have in the past – 5 kinds of cereal, a couple of flavors of granola bars, blah, blah, blah, and they still didn’t eat.  Nope. Waffles and bacon.  Done.

Limiting clothing options makes decision making easier, too.  If you have indecisive or spontaneous little people, together (or not!) choose 7 outfits at the beginning of the week.  Put the whole ensemble on a hanger or rolled up on the dresser.  And pull from just those options for school days. Too many options kill decision making.

For example, a loved one mentioned how my favorite 2.5 year-old likes to pick out her own clothes these days.  I remember that when my sons were young!  And I cleared the drawers of everything I didn’t want them to wear, leaving them fewer but higher quality choices!

What does your Face look like?

There was a moment a few weeks ago, mid-tirade, when my brain stopped and said “I wonder what my face looks like right now?”  Since I was raving at my kids, I’m sure I was red, scowling, possibly petulant… certainly not the person I want to be, or who I want my kids to see when they look at me.

When you are running around in the morning, what does your face look like?  Take time for hugs and tickles, a few deep breaths, maybe some great music and kitchen dancing, you name it.   Happy is contagious.

Leave Early.

Early is on time, and on time is late.  We really just never know what will happen on the way to our destination, so it’s always best to leave a little extra time.

Parents, consider that when your child leaves you, they still have 5-10 minutes of getting into school / hanging up coats / unloading backpacks, etc. to contend with, before they’re ready to learn.  Your child and teachers want you to err on the Early side of on-time, so everyone feels more in charge and less frazzled.

Trust me, Keep It Simple, Sweetie!

Back To School: First Things First – Clothes!

These next few weeks are about action and Taking Care of Business for a lot of parents, myself included.  So I am keeping these next few posts simple.

Do-able.

Positive.

Pared down and drama-free.

Just like back-to-school time should be!

So let’s do this!

First things first, friends. Clothes.  Reviewing the current, and shopping for the new.

  1. Before tackling the clothes / closet review, do all the laundry and put it all away. Yes.  All of it.  Away.  And if you say – “All of it?  THERE’S TOO MUCH!”, then that’s an indicator that this project can reap big benefits for you!  And if you say “AWAY?  We don’t have an AWAY for all the clothes!” then that, too, indicates that this project is extremely overdue.
  2. Next, clear a couple hours on the schedule, for you and your children (each child individually).  Make sure you’re both rested and fed.  Don’t start this at 10 pm, or right before lunch.  Turn on some fun music, grab a pad of paper to write down items to purchase, and get at it.
  3. Make the bed, and then cover it with a clean white sheet – it can be great work space for sorting.
  4. Pick a starting spot, and begin.  DO NOT TAKE OUT EVERYTHING AT ONCE!  Tackle a dresser drawer or a single closet shelf at a time.   Better yet, address a single category of clothes at a time.  All the shorts or pants or skirts or shirts, etc.  Do not try to tackle everything at once!
  5. As you work through the clothes, purge items that are: too big, too small, old or beyond repair, off-season, etc.  Label and store the off-season and too-big items, and donate, sell or hand down the too-small or too-old items.
  6. Do an initial quick review, and purge everything that YOU KNOW fits into the above descriptions  (items that are too small, too stained, too icky, etc.).
  7. Now, have your kids try everything else on.  Yes, everything.  Use the criteria listed above when you review the clothes.
  8. I have teenagers, so I also need an “I’ll never actually wear this” pile.  I find this frustrating, but since my sons aren’t overly picky or materialistic, I respect their choices.  I have also declared that I will never buy clothes for my sons without them with me again.  I don’t want to waste the time or money of buying clothes they won’t wear.
  9. Make a list of items that your kids need for the school year and new season.  (If you need a suggested list, http://peaceofmindpo.com/2010/08/05/that-age-old-ritual-back-to-school-clothes-shopping/ ).  I went through my own closet, too, and got rid of an old and tattered pair of pants and dressy skirt, among other things.  I won’t wear them again, but I will need to replace them so I added those items to my personal shopping list.
  10. Put away the clothes you are keeping (for more ideas, check my past blog articles), and deliver the purged items to their destination.  And then go do something fun!

You CAN do this!  And enlisting your child in the process teaches them organizational skills they can use for life.

Building Productivity with Time Blocks

In the interest of time management, I’ll start this article with my conclusions:
  • Blocking out time to get important work done ensures intention and attention to that important work.
  • Transition times, like school days to summertime for me, provide an opportunity to reassess our time management practices.
  • Summertime can make us lax when it comes to productivity, but that doesn’t have to be the case!
  • We make appointments for other things, why not for specific tasks?
  • Strategies that work in one area of our life often can be used to improve other areas, too, if we just pay attention.
I complete important tasks daily, and you do, too.  I manage my business, family and home, and a number of volunteer roles in my Parish and Community.  I’m grateful every day for the gift of organization, both as a concept and as a skill I am blessed to possess.  And yet, I struggle with time, just like everyone else. We’re all trying to complete our important tasks, and also, occasionally, do things that we WANT to do, and not just NEED to do.
Last week, I was struggling with a particular volunteer commitment.  It seemed that, after spending client and business hours, and family and home hours (plus occasionally eating and sleeping), I couldn’t find time to work on this important category of tasks.  During a meeting, one friend suggested Time Blocking to another friend, as a way to move forward with productivity during the summer months (Thanks, Jill!).  I use time blocking all the time in other ways, so I grabbed onto the idea to help with my volunteer commitment.
Time Blocking is a simple and obvious concept:  We block out time on our calendar, 30 minutes or a whole day, to address specific tasks or types of tasks.   Time blocking means: 1. you know your high priority tasks and projects; 2. you set aside time each week to work on those specific tasks and projects; and 3. then you actually keep the commitment.
Consider this: I make appointments to work with my clients and we keep those appointments, because I am committed to my clients and my livelihood.  I find time for family and home because we have set hours for things, like school time and summer camp and meal times.  I’m invited to parties and events at specific times and for specific duration, and I make those parties and events happen, because I’m committed to the people involved and don’t want to let them down.   These are great examples of Time Blocking.
The real magic of time blocking comes from being specific about what will occur during the block of time.  Set blocks of time aside for a specific purpose.  I’ve blocked out an hour a day this week for business maintenance tasks, and each day has a specific category attached: bookkeeping and bill pay; client follow-up and emails; presentation preparation and booking, etc. Being specific, and working with intention for even a short period of time will move me towards my goals faster than unfocused wanderings. We don’t have to complete a project in our block of time, but we can at least make progress.
A client mentioned the bills didn’t always get paid on time because she hadn’t set aside time every week to pay the bills. I suggested Time Blocks, making an appointment with herself to pay the bills.
The plumber was coming to install a new laundry sink, so I blocked 20 minutes to de-clutter the laundry room before he arrived.
Applying Time Blocking to my challenge last week allowed me to just pay attention solely to one project, one category of tasks, for the allotted time.  It was quite a relief, actually, and I completed the tasks.
How can you use Time Blocking this week to be more productive?  Give it a try!

Wait – What? I’m Supposed to Have Summer Organizing Projects?

It’s feeling like summer.  My older sons are out until August, and the youngest is counting the hours until Friday noon.

I don’t know if this happens in every house (probably not), but when the kids get out of school and the weather turns warm, my thoughts turn to…. Projects!  (I know, I may be crazy).  Of course, my thoughts also turn to summer travels and relaxing with friends and family, but summer is a great time to make progress on projects.

Wait – What? I’m Supposed to Have Summer Organizing Projects?

Yes, you are.  Why?

The days are longer.  It’s warmer in the garage / attic / basement, if that’s where the projects are.  Our energy is higher. There may be extra people (read kids) around to help. So here is how:

  • Grab a clipboard.  Yes, a clipboard.  Seriously – don’t you feel more confident and in charge when you carry a clipboard? Julie McCoy, Cruise Director always knew what was going on, right?  (I just totally dated myself, but so be it).  Grab the clipboard with some paper and pen.
  • Walk around every room of your house with your clipboard, and then outside, too.
  • Look at every room as though it’s the first time.  Walk with someone, and explain the space to them. Saying things out loud can help us process our ideas.  Jot down thoughts.
    • First, appreciate the positive aspects.  (“I really love that couch.  I love the way the light fills this space. I still love this paint color, etc.”)
    • Now consider what you might like to change about the space.  Be realistic, but dream big.  Making changes can breathe new life into our spaces.  I love my great room, but rearranging the furniture the other day made me love it even more.
    • Now consider what organizing projects could help your spaces:
      • De-clutter?  Always a good step.
      • De-furnish?  I walk into so many rooms that have way too much furniture.
      • A good cleaning?  A very simple solution.
      • Invest in an organizing solution?  Perhaps your space could use new book shelves, a better closet system, or under-bed storage for off season clothes or bedding?
      • Be specific.  Don’t just write “organize bedroom” on your list.  Try – “clean out dresser drawers”, “purge old shoes”, “clean out under bed”, “hang new art work”, etc.
  • When you’re done, you may have a lengthy list.  Don’t get overwhelmed, you only need to tackle a few!
  • Looking at your list, determine what projects your family can complete over the next few months. Why?
    • Decision makers.  I live with 4 other people.  If I want to make an organizational change, I ask opinions from the other people who live here, out of respect.  This is easier in the summer, when my family is home more.  Kids may be home from college, and spouses may have a free day here and there.
    • Extra hands.  For example, we have A LOT of books in our house – the bookshelves have gotten full. This past weekend, each son went through his bookshelves.  Three bags of books are ready to donate to our local library, plus three bags of garbage left, too!
  • Pick just one room to start, and just one project. For example, “Family Room: Organize DVD collection”.
  • Now list the steps, and who can help.  The steps may include
    • “collect  cases and loose DVDs, put them together” (20 minutes, son #3),
    • “alphabetize the DVDs” (5 minutes, son #3), and
    • “review and purge unneeded DVDs for sale or donation” (20 minutes, everyone).
  • I find projects are more manageable, for me and my sons, when broken into smaller pieces.

So, what’s it going to be this summer?  Getting that garage ready for next winter?  Finally clearing out the attic, to get ready for selling the house next year?  Maybe just tidying up all the closets?  Tackle those projects!  Walk around, write them down, break them up, and share the load!  Then hit the beach or the trail! Enjoy!

This Week’s Menu Plan Is To Not Cook  (a.k.a., How Many Foods Can we Serve on a Bun?)

I gave up last week.  On dinner.

You see, it’s volleyball season for one son, soccer season for another, and the season of end of year concerts and banquets for all three.   Lately, even when I cooked dinner, no one was around to eat it.  And when my family finally got home for the day, they wanted quick and easy food, and not re-warmed tilapia (I guess I see their point).

I often don’t have time to cook – that’s nothing new.  And I know what to do about that challenge – cook extra on the weekends, use my crock pot, make dinner in the morning and just re-warm it at dinnertime, etc.  But the “not having time to cook” challenge coupled with the “no one is home at an actual dinner time” and “we want quick and easy food” challenges have complicated things a bit.  I had to rethink my usual menu planning strategies.

So I gave up on cooking dinner.  Gave in.  Call it what you want.  I gave up, and then asked the questions: “What can I make that my family will actually still eat?  On their own time that isn’t fast food and still has some semblance of nutrition?” And the answer has to do with French rolls, burger buns, bread and tortillas. Here’s what worked:

  • double batch of homemade meatballs, frozen, to be warmed as needed and served over spaghetti or on a French roll 
  • double batch of tuna salad, for my lunches for the week
  • purchased (Costco and GFS) 5 lb tub of Italian beef and au jus, also to be served on a French roll (I told you, I gave up!)
  • double batch of Sloppy Joe meat
  • pre-sliced ham, for cold sandwiches and grilled ham-and-cheese 
  • quesadillas
  • scrambled eggs and toast
As long as all of these items are on a plate with fresh cut veggies or fruit (and perhaps chips), they are an acceptable dinner for all of us, whenever we get around to eating dinner.This article is not written to encourage you to give up on dinner!  It was written as a new take on previous meal planning blogs, and to encourage you to look at current challenges at home or at work through an organizational lens and seek out creative ways to solve your challenges, in this case, dinner!
I promise to cook again.  And soon.  I actually miss it, so this experience has been good in lots of ways. But we still have 10 days left of the season, so don’t look for me in my kitchen until next week.  Until then, we will be creatively filling our french rolls and our tummies.
To:

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7 Solutions to Get My (and Your?) Morning Back on Track

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This is not the blog I planned to publish this week.
But as I drove home from a very early morning client, I considered what I need to focus on today to make tomorrow morning run more smoothly.  We have simple and wonderful systems in place.  Our mornings typically work really well, and all 5 of us know our parts and make the essential stuff happen.
However….. This week…  we could improve.  Let’s just leave it at that.
So here is part of my plan for today.  Maybe one of these solutions will resonate with you, too?  If your morning is a scramble, give them try!
Solution #1: Put ALL the laundry away.
There was a scramble for pants this morning.  Sounds funny when I spell it out. Other days, we scramble for clean socks or a favorite hoodie, but today it was pants.  I occasionally entertain the idea of buying more of certain items to lessen the chance of running out, but we really don’t need more of anything, we just need to maintain the established system, and put ALL the laundry away.  It’s clean, its just not where its supposed to be.

Solution #2: Another set of keys.
A family member has misplaced his keys.  This one little foible has complicated things, by necessitating other family members having to come home to let the lost-key family member in the house, plan around them, etc. We used to have a back-up key, but a winter garage break-in caused us to change our ways.  And Yes, I know, the real answer is for lost-key son to find his keys.  But today’s solution is to suck it up and get another set of keys made.

Solution #3. Stock the Mom-Envelope.
The Mom-Envelope, with $40-ish dollars in small bills, is sadly empty.  A trip to the bank will solve the emptiness, and the Mom-envelope will be able to again solve morning scrambles for a few $$ here and there.

Solution #4: A Full Tank of Gas.
Luckily, I gassed up the other day.  But as I did, I recognized how having a full tank of gas eliminates a lot of worry (or conversely, worrying about running out causes a lot of stress.)

Solution #5: Fully charged technology.
The strategies are having multiple chargers and just one place to charge stuff (the kitchen counter).  Mysteriously, last night we discovered some of the chargers have wandered off, so a goal for today is to round them all up and keep them where they belong.  I have also started carrying an extra charger in my car.  A recent quote from the Minimalists reads “If your phone is constantly ‘about to die,’ then maybe it’s not the phone that has a problem.” (click here for the full article)

Solution #6: Communications.
My youngest is a rock star when it comes to reviewing the plan for his day.  Before going to sleep, and again in the morning, he reviews out loud what’s in store for his next 24 hours or so.  “Ok, Before-Care, then Band and Boy Scouts, right?  And I already packed my lunch.”  This helps us both to plan ahead and remember the details.

Solution #7: A Clean kitchen counter.
A quick way to de-rail movement in my morning is a messy kitchen.  Can’t make my coffee, eat breakfast, make smoothie, work on breakfast for the little guy, etc.  We left early and in a hurry, but that is the first thing on my list after I publish this!

So look around, and see where you can get your morning back on track!  Whether with these solutions or some of your own!