Schedule

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I wanted to add a little more structure to our lives. All the times for daily and weekly events are in my head, but that makes them easy to shift around and easy to forget. I sketched up a cleaning plan (what rooms get cleaned on which day) and worked in some times for reading, watering plants, cooking, playing, outside, and some schoolwork. 

More details later.  I'm sure it is going to change and shift around a bit. It is already making things smoother around here. Instead of staring off into space and wondering what to do I check the schedule. :) I follow it about 50% accurately right now. It is a good start. 

It is really easy to get everything done when you just have one child. But add in a few more children and they all need different things: the baby needs to be fed, the toddler needs attention and some sit-in-mom's-lap-and-read time, the 3 year old wants to learn some letters... It makes is so much easier to plan for these things. Otherwise, I find I get to the end of the day and I have either just done whatever they ask all day (which is exhausting) and nothing that I need OR I have done all my chores, but not spent much time with any of them (which is exhausting). There has to be a good balance. 

One thing I wanted to do was draw up a chart for the boys. They ask me all day long, "when is snack? When is lunch? When is dinner?" To make is easier for everyone I decided to make it the same time every day. 

Today Martin traced circles and then cut them out. Aren't they great?!? I made them into clocks. Warren helped me count them (quite a few times). I asked them for suggestions for breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner. You will see oatmeal, eggs and bacon, a sandwich and grapes, an apple, goldfish, and soft and hard tacos. 

When we finished putting it all together and hung it below the clock it was 11:00. Martin looked up and informed me that it was lunchtime.