We’re in the home stretch now! Next week will be an intense one for the whole family:
- I’m starting a new job in the city
- Bjørn and Maggie are starting second and fourth grades
- Tor is heading back to home daycare
- And Tomas & I will be coordinating a pick-up & drop-off dance that’s bound to get confusing
I could sure use any advice folks have to keep it all together! Please share your tips and tricks in the comments, I’d be ever so grateful for any help I can get :-)
Nancy says:
I work full-time and have 2 kids in day care — a week from now I’ll have 1 kid in kindergarten and 1 in day care — so I have experience in these matters. ;-)
Of course different things work for different people, but my main recommendation is to do as much as you can the night before. Lay out the kids’ clothes (and your own), pack lunches, make sure your work bag is ready to go. This makes a HUGE difference for me.
Good luck!
August 24, 2007 — 10:31 am
Callista says:
Well I’m not in the same boat as you but I highly recommend the Flylady system for keeping your house and life organized. http://www.flylady.com (or is it net?) Anyways, definitely put things out the night before like Nancy said and plan your meals, then you won’t be running around trying to decide what’s for dinner.
August 24, 2007 — 11:01 am
Edubya says:
Nancy is totally right on. We have 4, and the backpacks are packed and by the door the night before. The clothes for school are laid out and any baths that are required take place before bedtime, NEVER in the morning.
Also, a strictly enforced bedtime is crucial.
August 24, 2007 — 5:39 pm
Jazz says:
Yes! Bedtime is a must. Not only for the kiddos but for you too.
August 24, 2007 — 6:47 pm
Michelle says:
I have one child in daycare and have been working PT for awhile…and just started back full time this week! Craziness.
I find the more I have in order on Sunday night the better–clothes for the week, food needed for lunches, that sort of thing. And I totally agree about the night before being crucial. This week was nuts, and even though I was dead tired, 20 minutes in the evening was well worth it, because our mornings went much smoother!
Speaking of mornings, try to get up early enough to have a few moments to yourself. I try to get up so I have enough time to shower/dress/get my hair under control and have a cup of coffee. Then when MAM gets up, I can fully focus on her for the 30 minutes we have before our daily grind begins!
GOOD LUCK!!
August 24, 2007 — 7:11 pm
Patricia says:
Good luck with all of that! My advice: get up as early before your kids as humanly possible so you have some time to yourself. And have breakfasts and lunches prepped the night before as much as yumminess permits. Enjoy… I love the start of something new. Patricia
August 25, 2007 — 3:32 am
Jade says:
Well first of all I found your Blog on Maya’s Mom and am glad I found you because my Blog is here at Typepad too!
My kids are older now, almost 11, 14, and 18 and I’m still trying to figure out out to keep it all together.
Each day I just do a little at a time in trying to stay organized sometimes I’m ok but others completely & totally overwhelmed!
Looking forward to reading more about you
Jade
August 25, 2007 — 1:54 pm
emily says:
did i miss it already? do we get to hear details about your new job? wishing you well…
August 26, 2007 — 11:57 am
BirdieRoark says:
Get the kids involved in making lunches. They can do it after dinner and before bed. Just lay out a bunch of healthy options and let them pick and pack it.
I menu plan on Sunday morning for the week and write out a menu that gets posted on the fridge. Then I take inventory of what I need to buy – fruits/veggies from the farmer’s market and the rest from the grocery store. When I come home from work, I know exactly what to make and don’t have to waste time wondering if I have all the ingredients. It also cuts out on going out to eat – since I know that I’ve already spent the $$ on groceries for that meal.
Oh, and do a load of laundry every night. Otherwise you will waste the weekend.
August 27, 2007 — 9:12 am
Veronique says:
These are all great suggestions — Thanks sooooo much!
I’ve got my meals planned for the week, and everything the kids will need to prepare their own lunches on week-day evenings. I’m also going to make sure everyone gets their clothes out as part of their before-bed routine.
I think this is going to work — yay!
August 27, 2007 — 10:05 am