Little Old Lady in the Shoe
….She had so many children… and as a mom, I had to learn what to do. I am a mother of four and step mom to three. While raising my four, I found the key to keeping it together was the big letter “O” for Organization. So, I give you some of my tips and hacks. And since I love acronyms, I will use the word ORGANIZE.
Order. For me I was given a visual chart that had a picture and a time. For example, Bed Time/ Picture of a bed and a clock that says 8:00 PM. This leaves answers to questions about what is going on through the day. No more guessing when we eat, sleep, or play.
Regulate Days. I gave each child a day of the week to be king or queen for the day. They get to sit in the front seat, push the grocery basket, collect the mail, get a special treat, a date with mom or dad, and anything that is important to have or do… it is their day. So what about unassigned days? Just leave it alone or be creative. It all depends on how many children you have. There are no rules.
Give each child a color. That color alike toys, cups, dishes, laundry baskets, lost and found, and much more. Color keeps the peace in the house. Color tells who did what and who it belongs to. So yes, I gave each child a basic color of red, blue, green, and yellow
Arrange Me Time. It might be a Madea joke, but we can’t help anyone if we are not taking care of ourselves. Of course, as a believer… God is always first. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all things will be added unto you. For me personally, it’s Sunday, time with God (really all day – 24/7) and then I get in my bed and don’t move. Everyone knows… do not come in. Yes, I have a “ME DAY”.
Notebooks. When I go to the doctors, I have a notebook filled with information on each child. It helps me to remember where my child is and what was done on the last visit. It helps with a log of the shots given or any medical information that may have been missed. There is a Notebook for the house, finances, school, and just the child in general.
I am my child’s best advocate. As a homeschool mom, I had to let others in the Education area know that I was familiar with all the educational language including in the areas of IEP (Individual Education Plans) and any other special needs that my child may have. If you have a special needs child… you are equipped to run the race with your doctor or any specialist involved.
Zip Lock Bags are the answer to everything. You can use them for travel, snacks, organizing toys, keeping puzzle pieces, dry erase boards, and the list goes on.
Enjoy your children. Someone said to me: “boy, you sure do have your hands full of kids!” But someone else turned around and said, “no, she has her heart full.” We don’t know a lot about our time with our kids, but enjoy every moment. Make awesome memories with them.
For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.
I Corinthians 14:33
