Routine -- a little bit better

Happy New Year!
Do you have any resolutions for 2012?
It always seems as though I do; and then half-way through the year
(and sometimes a few weeks into the new year),
I forget all about them.

In honor of the new year, I am going to share with you something that has made the morning routine for my boys and I a little bit less angst-ridden.
--And hopefuly help you be a little more organized as your kids start school up again this week.


I started a morning checklist with my oldest last year when we went to the pediatrican for input on some ADHD tendancies he was exhibiting.
She suggested that we try a checklist for morning and before bed to help him (and us) not be so agitated.

I think that we, as adults, sometimes feel that our kids -- especially our older ones -- should be able to remember what to do every morning.
I mean, good grief; they do it
every. single. day.
It's not like it is a surprise that they have to brush their teeth, or put their lunch in their backpack.
However, kids have wandering minds.
They actually do have a difficult time staying on track and remembering what needs to be accomplished before they head out the door (or go to bed) every day.

Hence a tad bit of agitation from mom -- because son should be able to remember to do all these things, and he doesn't and so I'm constantly reminding him when I'm busy getting everyone else ready --
--and from son because he's just trying to do everything right and feels like mom is constanly nagging him
(sound familiar?)

Ahhhhhh --- in comes the solution!

This is extremely basic and simple.
But it is effective.

I paste the morning and bedtime schedule back-to-back; laminate and put magnets on with a dry erase marker attached so that they are in charge of their schedule.

All mom or dad has to do is ask: "Have you completed everything on your list?"
And the kids love to check off their list and see it completed.

Feel free to print these off for your use. You can find them right HERE.
Or create your own.

I've also found other "chore charts" in the blogosphere that you could use.
This one is really cute; using magnetic pictures that your kids can move from the "to-do" side to the "done side"

Lil' Luna shares her tutorial for this magnetic chore chart here.

Good luck in the new year and may you be a little more organized and stress-free as your kids begin school again!