Plan for the Day

As mothers and CEOs of our homes, we usually have our days carefully planned. I have a datebook and home management binder with a calendar on my desk, an iGoogle calendar, a purse sized datebook, a large bulletin board sized wall calendar in our hallway, plus various to do lists. The purpose of all of these items is to tell me my "plan for the day". However, if I don't share the plan for the day with my family members, they don't know what to expect. So, each morning after I read aloud to the children, and before I send them off to complete their morning chores, I share our "plan for the day". It is really very simple, but they appreciate knowing what is expected of them each day and where, if anywhere, we will be going that day. For example, I might say, "Today is Monday. We have to leave for piano lessons at 3:10. We will need to do our housework as soon as lunch is finished so I will have time to put Sam down for a nap early enough for him to be through sleeping by 3:10. The weather is going to be warm today, so we will run outside after piano. You will need to wear your running clothes to piano lessons. I will be going to Kroger while you are at piano. Is there anything any of you need from the grocery store (the girls are always trying out new recipes, so I want to make sure I have the ingredients they need)." I will also inform them of the day's temperature and tell them what to wear (playclothes, nicer clothes because we have to go somewhere, running clothes, etc.). The children now have an agenda for the day. This works for all of us!

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