Raise your hand if you feel like your life is hectic. That you are constantly on the
move with no time to think let alone sit down. Okay, put your hand down. Don’t worry
you are not alone. Most parents in today’s world are looking for ways to simplify
their life. Author of Take Back Your Life, Odette Pollar gives some suggestions on
ways to simplify your life as parents.
Don’t over schedule.
Many families have schedules that are jam packed with activities. Requiring
them to constantly move from one activity to another. Limit the amount of
activities that your children are involved in. Also leave half of your
weekends open. This way you can do something last minute or just relax
at home as a family.
Prepare for your mornings.
For most families mornings are a hectic time. Prepare for
your morning by setting out clothing, packing backpacks, and
knowing what you will be doing for breakfasts and lunches. This
way you are never searching for the missing homework assignment
or lost shoe.
Take enough time in the morning.
Mornings can be a great time for peace and quiet. Try getting
up fifteen minutes early and spend some time by yourself. It
is also important to allow yourself enough time to get ready
and out the door. A hectic morning is not a good start to a day.
Assign bathroom times.
As your kids get older fights over the bathroom may ensue. So work
out a schedule that everyone can agree on. My sister and I are
eighteen months apart in age and often wanted the bathroom at
the same time. So the agreement was that one would get up first
and shower, while the other one slept, and then we would switch
the next day.
Switch responsibilities.
Doing the same thing day in and day out can become tedious
and boring. So switch responsibilities with your spouse. If
you usually cook dinner while he gets the kids ready in the
morning, switch roles.
Limit working at home.
When you are at home try to be at home. Limit the amount
of time that you work evenings and weekends. My husband
is on call so he occasionally has to work evenings. But
we both try to keep work separate from family time.
Let your kids help out.
Assign your children chores to do. The older they
are the more responsibilities you can give them. Growing
up we took turns doing the dishes each night and had a
weekly house cleaning assignment as well.
Keep a calendar.
Write all of the things that your family has to
do and appointments they have on a calendar. Then
refer to it often to make sure you aren’t
forgetting anything.
Balance activities.
You don’t have to always be doing something to
have quality family time. If you do an activity
outside of the home such as going to a museum,
movie, or the zoo, stay at home the next weekend
play games, read stories, or hang out in the backyard.
Keep important things at same place.
Keep important things like keys, backpacks, and
purses in the same place so they can easily be found
when needed. Also keep a bowl or jar of change that
can be used for lunch money or tolls.
Try incorporating one or more of ways into your day to simplify your life.
