How to be a Stretched out Mom

I entered a contest to describe how I am a "Do-it-all" Mom. The entry essay had to be only 1500 characters (including spaces) which is just not enough space to write details. Here is the entry I started out with before I cut it in half. Anyone else have wonderful ideas to keep everyone prepared for daily life?

As the Stretched-out-Mom of three very involved kiddos, I have developed several plans for keeping my kiddos on track, ready for school, and prepared for their after school activities. Two of my 3 kids are Type 1 Diabetics which adds another level of preparedness to every day. I work full0time for a university and my husband is a therapist. This year I am going to be working with the children’s chorus in our town. This school year is going to be an especially busy time for all of us because I am starting graduate school. The routines that we use at home are designed to make everyone’s day easy.

Among the routines that our family has established are breakfast and dinner menus, chore charts, and after school schedules, with time left over for family meals, cuddles on the couch and stories at bedtime. The establishment of these routines makes each day go more smoothly. Not that every day is a walk in the park, but if you express your expectations to your children, they don’t have much to complain about when it is time to clean up or take baths.

Most of our routines are outlined on the refrigerator. The kitchen is the center of the home and so the kids are visually reminded each time they walk through or get a snack. Our breakfast menu is the same each week so there is no time wasted in deciding what they want for breakfast. That doesn’t mean breakfast is boring, however. We have granola and fruit, yogurt, a special breakfast (muffins, pancakes, scrambled eggs, etc.) toaster waffles (because that’s a family favorite) and cereal. When we shop for groceries, the kids choose the fruit, the yogurt flavor, the special meal, etc. so that they are a part of the planning process. Our evening meals are much the same. They each take one night to choose the meal and help prepare it. This way they are sure to have something they really like to eat, and also they develop math skills, cooking skills, and nutritional knowledge. We emphasize making good choices in what we eat.

Also on the fridge are chore charts. We have an allowance each day if they do 5 simple tasks. If they do not complete them, then no allowance. We chose: complete homework, shower and tidy the bathroom after you are done, choose your clothes for tomorrow, pick up your room (for about 10 minutes) and pick up your area of the house (they picked the area they would be responsible for: living room, art cabinet, bathroom cabinet.) Additionally, they have other chores they can choose to earn spending money. For example they can, put away dishes, vacuum, do a load of laundry, or mow the yard. This way, they can’t complain about not having spending money. They always have an opportunity to earn some.

After school, they eat snack and take a break, then they have to do homework. In this way the homework is done before dance, boy scouts, play practice, etc. When we get through with our out of school activities, we cook and eat dinner together, and have time before bed to enjoy our family. We only allow electronics on the weekends, so the tv and computer are not distractions.

Sometimes it is hard to keep all of these balls in the air, but each day that the kids do the routine makes it easier.