Tips and Tricks
It is the last week of summer vacation for me. I’m heading back to the classroom next week.
My district has opted for a hybrid model, so I’ll be navigating both the digital and face-to-face world at the same time. I hesitate to plan beyond September because of the uncertainty around returning to the classroom; this is difficult for a planner like me. So, how am I spending my last week of vacation? Zoom meetings (3 so far) to plan the upcoming school year, trying to decide what to move back into my classroom and what to leave at home, haircuts for everyone, and creating a two-week schedule for my family who will still be at home. Everyone has gotten used to Mom being home all the time, and it will be a shock when I leave for work on Monday, and they have to fend for themselves. I know many parents are in the same situation. How do you transition back to work and school while still maintaining support and accountability for your children? For my family to be organized–I must be organized. This week I am focusing on setting up monthly and weekly calendars for the family, teaching my son how to complete more complex household chores, and reestablishing academic expectations.
The next two weeks are a trial run for when the kids go back to school. Let’s be honest; it is also a trial run for my husband to see how he handles being the parent at home full time. We are blessed that he can work from home until January. I am also going to be honest and say that even though he is home, I fully expect my kids to call or Facetime me if they need help. To mitigate that, I’m going to give them select 30 minutes time periods during the day that I will be available for their questions and they can call me if they really are stuck on an assignment. I will build it into my day and then add an hour or two in the evening to finish up my grading and planning. Is it ideal? No. But what in the year of 2020 is ideal?
I work in one local district and my children attend another, so we are not following the same schedule. I am in the classroom 5 days a week at least until October and they are in the classroom two days a week. We have always had a family calendar, but it highlights big events and not the daily to-do-list. Because I am no longer responsible for most of the daily to-do-list, we needed a family command center that houses the weekly schedules (pick-up, drop-off, football, dance, vet appointments, hair cuts, etc.) and the daily expectations for each child.
The command center houses the new weekly calendar and two chore charts. The calendar lists each activity by day has room for notes and papers. The chore lists are printed lists in a clear plastic sleeve hanging on clipboards. The clear sleeves allow each child to check off the daily chores and then we can wipe them clean each week. I have listed daily, weekly and optional chores for each child. When school starts for the kids I will update the chart and we will create a daily schedule to meet their needs. I like that the charts are reusable and that they can track progress each day.
To get them ready for this new chore chart, I spent a portion of this week teaching my 12-year-old son how to clean bathrooms and to cook some basic dishes. The additional responsibility is good for him and will decrease my stress level.
What is also going to decrease my stress level is my continued meal planning and now lunch meal prepping.
Meal prepping is also a time saver during the week. It took me about two hours on Saturday, but I have an entire week’s worth of lunches and snacks prepped for the week. Each evening when I pack my lunch I just need to grab the pre-prepped containers and toss them in my lunch box. Lunch options this week include: Greek Yogurt, Hummus and Pretzels, Cheese and Crackers, and hard-boiled eggs. Snacks and additional lunch items include: sliced carrots and apples, mixed berries, clementines, dark chocolate, popcorn, walnuts, and dried fruit and nut packs.
My weekly meal menu is posted on the fridge and my daughter is increasing her cooking duties to two nights a week instead of only one.
My final task before school starts on Monday is to pack my car the evening before. All of my boxes and bins are in the trunk all I have to do on Monday morning is to Mask-Up and grab my purse.
These pre-planning steps take time, but pay off in the end with the additional time I get to spend with my family each evening. Happy organizing.