Smoothly Running your Family

Are you just peeking your head out now after re-cooping from a long school year. Summer is a great time to get the family together to make a new plan for a less hectic school year next year but is just two months away.

1. Write a Family Mission Statement- What’s that you ask? Just like businesses, a family mission statement can give your family value and purpose. I have my clients start with defining their family’s core values – humor, respect, humility, goofiness, gratefulness, loyalty, efficiency or hundreds of others. No more than 10. All members regardless of age should participant. Trust me your children will impress you. When you have your core values, put them into a statement and post it where everyone can see it. Read it, talk about it, and use it often. Change it as your children grow; their and your values will change over time.
2. Make and use a Home Management Binder- See my previous post about Home Management Binders.
3. Say No- Families and kids are over-scheduled these days. Don’t over commit so you can model to your children how to set healthy limits on their time. Plus use will be giving your family the gift of time together; play a game, watch a movie, anything together.
4. Color Coding- This really helps if your kids are too young to read or if your middle schooler isn’t really awake on his way out the door. It also helps when something isn’t put away or picked up to know who the culprit is.
5. Use a family calendar- Another place to use that color coding. I prefer a written one a calendar posted where everyone can watch it. If all your children are old enough to have mobile phones, you could use a Google calendar. Talk to your kids, regardless of their age, about upcoming events for the week.
6. Use lists and teach your kids to use them too. We keep the grocery list right on the fridge, if you notice it getting low and use the last of anything you put it on the list. Chore lists are great; everyone knows what is expected of them.
7. Everything in your home should have a home. If you keep filing stuff laying around the house, it may not have a home that is easy enough for your child (or maybe you) to use. Try open storage.
8. Meal planning should be done in advance. Weekly decide what your family is going to eat and make a list at the same time. In my family, this activity is usually a group activity. My children cook dinner during the week so they prefer to pick what they are going to cook that week.
9. Nightly straighten up- Take 10-15 minutes nightly before bed to put items away that have been scattered throughout the day.
10. Timing- We all have different routines. Allow you kids to find what works best for them. Some need a long break after school, some need a snack, some like to get right to work on homework.