I used to believe that a well-structured summer schedule would be the right thing for my family. Structure is supposed to be good, right? We need to read daily, get in our exercise, eat healthy, and say NO to too much screen time. That might work for some people.
[bctt tweet=”Crazy organized summer schedule? NOPE. TV rules. #momlife #reality #summer @katbiggie” username=”losethecape”]
This was me a couple summers ago:
I am not organized at all. I try my best, but it is just not a skill that is innate. I am also one to become quickly involved in my own projects. So I was worried about starting the summer with three kids, ages 6, 3, and 1 at home, plus my 6 year old nephew on many days.
An email from the blog 5 Minutes for Moms with ideas for activities for the summer asked if we had been busy with summer routines. This made me think – hmm, maybe I should have a summer routine?
I turned to my pal Google, which directed me to a ton of great resources. My favorite is the IHeartOrganizing blog. She provides free printables and great suggestions as well. I combined her sample schedule with a couple of other sample schedules I found out there, and put together ours.
I also use her printable “Peek At the Week” so that I can compare any big activities going on during the week, use the menu planning section, and jot down notes on big projects that need to get done that week.
So, I sat down last night, printed things out, made my plan, and crossed my fingers.
And lo and behold, when I implemented today, it has been smooth sailing! My son (6 year old) is so used to a schedule of this nature, that he has just rolled right into it. It probably helped that I sat down with him last night and told him what our new schedule would be. It also helps that his Kindergarten teacher sent home a daily packet of writing, reading, and math suggested work and prepped them that they would continue on with those.
Oh My Goodness I was Naive.
I thought I’d be able to pull this schedule off:
I must have been CRAZY!
Turns out maybe my antidepressant meds were a little too high. Or something. Cause that schedule was BONKERS.
That schedule lasted about 3 days. And after that point, we were all crazy. The schedule disintegrated. Thank God for Disney Jr and PBS kids.
Now the kids are 9, 6, and 4. This summer, we’ve done a few camps, gone to the beach once or twice, gone swimming a LOT… and they’ve been playing a lot of video games, watched a lot of TV, and eaten junk food. We don’t really drink Coke every day, for the record.
So far they have not turned into giant alien monster creatures, sprouted any extra limbs, acted too demonic, nor has anyone gone psycho.
So… you do your thing, I’ll do mine.
Happy Summer. What’s left of it.
