A book I’ve been waiting for at the library finally came in. I’m reading a book on scheduling. As in Scheduling Your Day.
I am somewhat of a free spirit and I don’t like something/someone telling me what to do (even if it’s myself via a schedule) (or a recipe telling me how far apart to place the cookie dough). I’ve always mentally fought the idea of a schedule.
We have a routine to our day. I thought that was good enough.
But when the author of the book said, and many other mamas quoted within said, that scheduling their children’s day led to less bickering, well! I decided to give this a prayerful look.
And I promptly ordered the book.
I haven’t even finished reading my borrowed copy yet, and yet I decided to try a bit o’ scheduling for the Farm Fresh Fam today.
It was superb.
Basically, I just set the timer for 30 minutes and then we moved on to the next activity, whether it was “craft time” (paper dolls), “kitchen helper” (Irish soda bread), “chore helper” (putting away their laundry and picking up their room, to my standards), it was the best day we’d had in a long time. I started with just a few goals in mind–
I wanted to do Bible time with all three at 9. Check.
I wanted to do a craft with the girls when Cadrian was asleep. Check. (I’d been saying we would for several days, as soon as I get the kitchen cleaned up, as soon as…and it never happened)
I wanted to spend some one on one with each child. Check.
And I’m not even implementing the whole program. This is just me thinking about the ideas and values espoused in this book.
I can’t wait until my kit comes with all my fancy colors and charts. I am so excited to make a positive change in my home.
Or at least have another day like this one.
Sounds like what you tried worked well– so glad you had a great day! And with spring so close, it can only get better!
Awesome!
WOW! Sounds like a great book. i often struggle with that thin line between scheduling and overscheduling… balance is so hard to achieve in this life!
As a teacher and a mom, I'm a firm believer in routine and schedules!
Ooh that sounds cool!