How do you keep your children’s schedules together ?

It’s a constant juggling act! My main tool is a calendar. As soon as the kids bring home any kind of schedule (baseball, show choir, etc.), I transcribe the dates and times onto my family calendar. I also then tack the schedules on the bulletin board near the calendar, just in case I need to go back and double check the location of an event or need to call a coach.

Do you use a particular day planner ?

Nope. My “day planner” is my big Lang calendar, which hangs in the kitchen. Every family event — and my work deadlines — are transcribed on to the calendar. If I need a babysitter, I’ll list the name of the sitter once she’s lined up under the event; that way, I know I’ve got that handled. I also include such things as “return library books” and “schedule eye appts.”

When we’re headed to a 4-H meeting or some other meeting that will include discussion of future events, I’ll literally take the calendar off the wall and bring it along.

Do you own a blackberry?
Nope. I just got a cell phone again a few months ago!

What is you most used ‘time saving tip’ when it comes to running your house?
Prioritize. A lot of the things that we think “have” to be done really don’t need to be done at all — or if they do, they don’t need to be done nearly as often as we think. The more things you take off your to-do list, the more time you have for the things that remain.

Do you have a favourite quick meal for your family?
Frozen pizza. It might not be the most nutritious meal in the whole world, but it’s quick, easy and requires virtually no clean-up! Plus, the boys love it.

Tell us the truth ? What would we find in your car right now ?

The better question — what wouldn’t you find in my car right now? Off the top of my head, there are 3 jackets, numerous books, a random garbage bag (I have good intentions!), a travel mug that needs to come into the house, one Field and Stream magazine, an empty McDonal’ds fry container, a first aid kit and a handful of tiny plastic ninjas. Also pens, random change and lots and lots of dirt.

What advice would you give to other moms who feel the pressure of trying to be ‘super mom’?
There’s no such thing as “super mom,” only “good enough” mom.

It’s absolutely impossible to be super in every aspect of your life, and trying will only set you up for a lifetime of frustration. Think about it: a lot of goals we have as moms are mutually incompatible. We want a clean house — and we want a safe, welcoming, nurturing environment for our kids. Well guess what? A spotlessly clean and decluttered house is not a welcoming, nurturing environment for kids.

So prioritize: Which do you value more? And then LIVE by those values. That means really internalizing the fact that you value your kids more than the house. That means embracing the chaos and mess as evidence of your children’s growth. It does not mean gritting your teeth as you look at the mess and mentally berating yourself for not managing to have House Beautiful.

What is your number one goal for the year ? How do you plan to reach it ?
For my kids to feel safe and secure. That might not sound like much of a goal, but their Dad moved out in July, so our family is going through some serious reorganization issues. I remain committed to my professional goals, but right now, that one goal — helping my kids feel safe and secure — supersedes all others.

To achieve it, I’m making every possible attempt to keep their lives as normal as possible (keeping them in their regular activities, etc.). I’m also facilitating contact/visits with their dad, reaching out to family and friends and paying attention to their needs.

At the same time, I’m taking steps to take care of myself — counseling, giving myself time to journal and relax, and working on building my writing career. I need to be able to provide for my sons, and I’m determined to do just that.

Jennifer L.W. Fink is a freelance writer and mother of four boys. She homeschools the boys while writing for a variety of national magazines, including Parents, Boys’ Life, Ladies’ Home Journal and Pregnancy. Learn more about her crazy life at www.bloggingboutboys.blogspot.com.

Dawn and her daughters

Today’s busy mom tips come from Organized Familie’s Featured Busy mom ‘Dawn Hall’.

Dawn’s tip of colour coding the kids when scheduling is one of my favourite family time management tools as well!

How do you keep your children’s schedules together ?

Each child is only allowed to participate in one (team sport, music or
church) activity per season, taking into consideration that some sporting events will overlap each other. On our family calendar each person is color coded, meaning each person has their own color. Family events are one color.
Example:
Mom: Red
Ashley: Purple
Whitney: Blue
Family: Green
(Daddy passed away from residual effects of brain cancer complications after a 61/2 year battle) in 2001 when our daughters were 13 and 14 years old.)
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Do you use a particular day planner?

I use a weekly planner book, that has a folder in the front to hold
paperwork that fits into my purse.
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Do you own a blackberry?

Yes, and I love it! I would like to learn how to use it more efficiently!
It is so very worth the extra monthly cost to be able to do quick e-mail replies, facebook and Twitter from it!
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What is you most used ‘time saving tip’ when it comes to running your house?

Everybody knowing each other’s consistent weekly scheduled commitments/appointments, and then being able to text each other.
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Do you have a favorite quick meal for your family?

Most always I have fresh lettuces already cleaned and prepared in the refrigerator that is ready to be adorned with healthy ingredients I keep stocked such as: lean deli turkey breast, assorted fat-free salad dressings, assorted fat-free cheeses, salsa, and fruit that can be easily cut-up to put into the salad. My Busy People’s Cookbooks are loaded with unique, quick and simple salad recipes. Just today my daughter complimented on a salad I’d easily made in a few minutes for us for lunch. I like it to look like I took a long time preparing it; but honestly, fast & frugal quickie meals are for me!
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Tell us the truth? What would we find in your car right now?

In my car you would find: dust,(it needs cleaned), an empty water bottle on the back floor (that I forgot to throw away), CDs of inspirational speakers, praise & worship CDs , and high energy music turned on. In the glove compartment of my car you’d see a protein bar wrapper, small bottle of body spray, a few dollars “stashed-cashed for emergency” (and I do mean few dollars), my car registration and copy of auto insurance. In the trunk, a box of assorted Busy People’s Cookbooks with stickers that read “Autographed Copy” (to put on books) and a baby blanket I bought on clearance for a gift for a friend.
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What advice would you give to other moms who feel the pressure of trying to be ’super mom’?

Let Go & Let God. We can’t do it all the time. Super Woman Syndrome is a serious problem that robs us of our joy. I know! I had it! UGH!!! Learn to do your best and then trust God with the rest. Balance is key to serenity!
Hey, I just made that up! I like it!:)
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What is your number one goal for the year? How do you plan to reach it?

To live a balanced lifestyle. This is something I seriously focus on daily!
I am such a people pleaser and I hate to say, “no” to anyone. This is something I have had to learn to do without guilt or shame. If I am too busy to take care of myself with eating right, exercise and getting enough sleep than I am too busy! I plan on achieving this by writing my goals for the following day out before I go to bed.
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Dawn Hall, a widow from Swanton, Ohio self-published her first cookbook in 1995 to raise money for her loving husband’s brain cancer treatments (even though she did not know how to type, use a computer or publish). Since she has sold over one million Busy People’s Cookbooks featuring low-fat, home-style recipes made with 7 or fewer easy to find ingredients!

As the host of Cooking for Busy People TV show on Direct TV (NRB Network) she humorously shares the life lessons she’s learned as she’s watched her weight and counted her pennies.

Check out her sites:

Cooking for Busy People Facebook

Twitter id: @CookingforBusy

How do you keep your children’s schedules together ?
I don’t overload my children with activities. If there is an activity they want to join (dance, etc) then that is fine. However, my belief is that concentrating on doing well in school and creative play at home are the best way to raise a child. I’m probably not going to be popular in saying that, but I see too many children “overscheduled”.

I like to eat dinner together every night. If there are activities, parties and other events going on, I just keep everything up on the family calendar (right on the refrigerator) so everyone knows what’s going on.

Do you use a particular day planner ? I used to. Then I’d leave it in my car and fall asleep before I could go out and get it.

Do you own a blackberry? Yes! I’ve had a BB for three years now. I went two months without it to test my endurance. I won’t do that again.

What is you most used ‘time saving tip’ when it comes to running your house?
I believe in doing the same routine every day. My children actually help me save time. They all have to put their things away after school, set the table for dinner, clear the dishes, etc. So, the biggest time saving tip has been for me to teach my children to help out. I rarely have to tell anyone to put away shoes or throw their laundry in the hamper. It becomes routine when everything has a time and place.

Do you have a favourite quick meal for your family? Yes. It’s a really basic recipe and dinner is ready in 15 minutes. Home made macaroni and a wayyyyyy lot of cheese, salad and fruit.

Tell us the truth ? What would we find in your car right now ?
My car is always clean in the passenger area. I’m just a little uptight about that. I don’t allow food unless we’re on a road trip or it’s really early and we’re heading somewhere when breakfast at home is impossible. I don’t like a car that looks like a basement. However, check in my trunk and you’ll find a case of bottled water, 3 sand buckets, 4 shovels, a bottle of Febreze, baby wipes (I don’t have babies but these are great to have!), a box of trash bags (hey, you never know how handy they can be!), my last pair of crutches and four different knee braces. I’ve had three surgeries in the past 18 months. Life is unpredictable. I need to be prepared.

What advice would you give to other moms who feel the pressure of trying to be ‘super mom’?
It’s overrated. We are humans and we mess up. I didn’t get an instruction book and I have been a single Mom for the past eight years. I just wing it and when something works, I stick with it. I don’t pretend to be great at what I do. I just enjoy my children and have fun.

What is your number one goal for the year ? How do you plan to reach it ?

My initial thought was to tell you that I want to become a blogger on the Huffington Post. However, that’s a goal that is secondary to something far more important. I want to learn how to climb and descend stairs normally. I haven’t been able to do that since 2007. I am not positive how I am going to achieve the goal…more than likely a combination of more physical therapy and will power.

Cheryl Phillips is a single mother of five, freelance writer, blogger and social media addict who realized that Twitter was created so that she would stop being so long-winded. Her blog, The Daily Blonde, is a commentary of life without sugarcoating. Cheryl is passionate about combiningTwitter and other forms of social media to help grow small business.