Today I realized something that has probably been glaring me in the face for a long time.
Display of iCal screenshot
I always plan for the typical week. My schedule, beautifully laid out in multicolored iCal goodness, never includes things like getting sick, emergency room visits, or neighbors stopping by. So we have to leave a little margin in our life to accommodate. That I get.
But I am able to plan ahead for some things that have equally destructive powers- going out of town, the kids having days off from school when I don’t, out of town guests, etc. I can arrange childcare, make meals ahead, or other logistical considerations. It seems like I’m in control.
But, no.
Our routines can’t handle it. They get thrown out of whack. And routines, I’ve discovered are the difference between a household that hums, or one that screeches to a stop!
Any parent of an infant knows routines are key. And I’ve certainly heard many arguments in agreement (from classroom management experts to the FlyLady herself!).
The battle of a family routine
But I’ve always thought of them as part of the typical week. But now, despite several attempts to ‘reset,’ I realize there might be one or two weeks one our calendar that look “typical” – every other week has a visitor, a concert, a trip, or something that could throw things off.
So this semester, I’m going to try to really focus on routines. Especially for the children. Its not rocket science, I know, but I think we’ve been approaching it all wrong.
Some considerations:
- make sure hubby and I are on the same page
- make sure the kids understand what is expected (even on non-school days)
- make sure I know what I expect out of myself, and what hubby expects from himself
- others?
1 Comment
February 25, 2009 at 6:00 am
this is a great post and one that i need to consider as well! we have our ical all neat and orderly with specific events, we have a calendar on the fridge with what typical should look like. let me tell you that typical never really happens for us. it’s amazing emily is doing as well as she is since really we don’t have a very good routine right now because it always seems to be shifting. we are getting better and i know once next fall hits with dave (hopefully, keep your fingers crossed) employed and me able to focus on stampin’ up! job and staying with emily without the additional accounting gigs maybe then we will be routine! – but knowing us we will probably be spur of the moment types and allow for changes on a regular occurrence. anyway good luck with getting the routine. i think your considerations are very valid and are exactly what we have in our house even if we aren’t what others would call routine!