- Rise early so you can: Read your Bible, exercise, get dressed, make your bed and start a load of laundry.
- Empty the dishwasher while the kids eat breakfast, then you can just zip the dirty dishes in the when they are done.
- Pick up any odds and ends and straighten what you might have *missed* the night before.
- Have the children make their beds and get dressed right after breakfast.
- Continually pick up odds and ends all day, while maintaining a pleasant attitude.
- Always have a menu planned in advance, whatever needs thawing out and all ingredients marked and accounted for.
- Provide you children with mind and body stimulating activities throughout the day.
- After putting the children to bed, take on one room at a time each evening and rid it of clutter. It makes it much easier to "pick up the odds and ends" as there won't be any left.
Things you must NOT do to accomplish above:
- Don't leave your home, EVER, it sort of "throws off" the routine. Definitely don't make any appointments early in the day, it will send you running around trying to "get it all together".
- Don't rise early, young children can sense this and they will rise as well (especially if your house is 30+ years old with squeaky floors). Good luck trying to get anything done.
- Don't empty the dishwasher (is it even clean?). That way when you need a spoon, plate and cup, they are all in one central location.
- Don't have the children get dressed, they like staying in their jammies all day.
- Don't pick stuff up all day, wait until five minutes before daddy gets home and make a mad dash around the house with a slightly raised voice.
- Wait until five o'clock before deciding what to make for dinner, then you don't have to think about it before that. What else is the defrost on the microwave for?
- Let your kids minds' be sucked away by the TV. It keeps them quiet and engaged while you figure out what to make for dinner.
- After getting jammies on (oh, wait, they already have them on), brushing teeth, last potty time, last sip of water, prayer, last question, another last question and you finally get your kids in bed (not that they will necessarily stay there): sit down and enjoy some mindless TV so you can "unwind". Pick up? They're just going to take it all out again tomorrow.
5 comments:
Finally someone writes with me in mind. It's really nice that the latter list is being recognized as a "way" to do things because I've felt somewhat judged up until now:) Really funny story to go with that, when our neighbors moved in, the hubby, who came down first, was talking to his wife on the phone and said, "the neighbors seem nice but I don't think the wife wears anything but pajamas!" Awww, my life:)
I'm glad I've finally converted you to my way of thinking:)
#1 - I KNOW your house is perfect. I've seen it.
#2 - OK, that was pretty hilarious.
Okay, please don't share what it was like when all of you were here as the second part pretty much describes it. Ouch!!! I commend you on your constant attempts and successions at keeping up with being mommy to my grandchildren, a honey-do for my son-in-law, and a friend to those around you. My daughters make me proud as they are far better than I ever was.
Love you, mom
Do you live in my house or what?? :) You hit it on the head here, sister!
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