Managing a Family Centered Household: Back to Basics

When life gets busy - like when a new baby arrives - household management necessarily gets pared down to the essentials. I thought this would be a good time to focus on formulating a workable daily routine. These are the things we do every single day, at the same time. After a while, they become automatic. However, when you rely on others (as in the case of new babies) to help out with the daily routine, it helps to have everything written down.

** You can purchase your homeschool journal (pictured above) for $16.99 plus shipping by emailing me.

Start with your own personal care routine beginninng with wake-up time. When there is a newborn in the house, you have a built in alarm clock! However, you may have to juggle your schedule to accommodate nursings. Make sure you plan enough time for morning prayer, devotions, and readings. Also allow yourself time to put yourself together - this is an area *I* need to work on. I always feel terribly guilty taking time with hair and face, but somehow on the mornings I'm pulled together, my kids are 'with it' too. Hmmmm. For me it helps to have an easy wardrobe - like pretty knit dress and cardigan - pull it on and presto! Add a necklace and earrings and you look like you're ready for anything - even if you really aren't!

I'm a morning person. I love getting up and watching the sun brighten the sky. I love my one cup of coffee in peace and quiet. My husband likes to read his Bible over coffee in quiet. Somehow having some time to gather ourselves makes the day run more smoothly. Put every tiny detail into your morning schedule. Don't laugh - you know you've had those mornings when you've stood there in the middle of the kitchen wondering what on Earth you have to do next... Those are usually the nights you've been up with a sick or teething baby - or worried over one thing and another. Keeping on track helps you get through your day - knowing when to ditch the schedule - and when is also important. Days with unexpected interruptions, however delightful, can be put back together easily when you have a schedule.

Here's an example of what your morning routine could look like:

6AM Wake, nurse baby
6:30 Change baby, cuddle during morning devotions
7AM Get dressed, fix hair, face - WAKE children
7:30 Fix breakfast (clever mommies I know prepare breakfast the night before in a crockpot!)*
8 AM Breakfast
8:30 Clear up, wash dishes (with children's help, of course), brush teeth, etc.
9 AM Morning chores (hand the children their chore packs!)
10AM Start lessons (while nursing baby)...


Of course, every house runs differently, but at least you get the idea of the level of detail. Once you've worked your schedule out in pencil on a piece of notebook paper, you can transfer it to your schedule on the computer and print it out, laminate it, punch holes and insert into your binder - this will be your front page.

This makes a great lesson for our children as well. Set aside a day, or part of a day, to make your children's schedules, too. At our house, Saturdays and Sundays work well for this sort of activity since those are our family 'crafty/fun' days and doesn't interfere with schooling and other scheduled activities. Make sure they put down things like hair and teeth brushing as well as picking up chore cards for the day (which you will have prepared the night before). They can put them into their home-school binders to help them remember. An additional copy can be posted in their rooms. In order to keep everyone running on time, someone has to be the town crier - usually Mama. Try to have a clock/timer that you can clip to your waistband, pocket, or apron. Set the next time on the schedule and when the alarm goes off - let the kids know it's time for the next task. If your kids keep an eye on the clock themselves - you are fortunate indeed - PLEASE tell me how you trained them to do it!