I am so glad you're here. I can't wait for you to read all about setting your family up for success during summer break. This is the first year we haven't had child care or had a nanny for the summer. I figured I better step up my game this year and really make a plan. Then I wondered if maybe any of this or all of it could be useful to you. From 1 mom to the next, it takes a village to raise kiddos. Always learning from seasoned parents and teaching the ones with littles. You take whatever you need from this blog and make it your own.
In this blog I will chat about:
school supplies
monthly calendars
summer menu-including food prep
summer activities-grab and go
how structure is freedom
Not only will these systems set your family up for success but they also allow your kids to have freedom and confidence to get what they need on their own, with a little bit of guidance from you.
Let's talk school supplies. With all the school supplies that made their way back home,do you have a spot for them? I highly recommend a good tote or a few bins to put them in and not touch them until the new school year begins. Instead of a scramble and pure panic when school supplies start coming out , let's have you ease into the new school year
knowing you have most of those supplies already at home. Here is a picture of what I do. I separate things into baggies, so the kids can "shop" in this bin and check things off their list. Pens, pencils, markers and crayons, etc... all get their own bag. Notebooks and binders, we take out any pages that have already been used and only use the remaining paper/binder. Anything broken or no longer usable we throw away. We may need a few more supplies by the time we check things off the list but at least I won't feel like I have to buy everything all over again because I didn't prep myself in advance. So instead of dumping them into the junk drawer or the craft closet, let's keep em all separated and stored away for next time.
A monthly calendar is a must have in every home. Whether you are a digital mama or love to display it all for everyone to see or hey if you're like me, (behind closed doors for family only and a calendar for my hubs and I), knowing what you have going on, what meals to plan for and what events are coming up is an absolute must! My #1 goal in my home is to get what's in my brain onto paper. I love having a spot where my husband can find everything from supper, to what's going on that day/evening. To me it's less work on my end on the daily. The less things my family needs to come to me for, the better. Gosh that sounded bad. What I mean is for events, meals, activities, things like that. I love being a wife and mama! Think about it this way, if your spouse was the only one who knew the meals and schedule for the week and nothing could ever get done without them, wouldn't you feel a little blind and out of the loop until they asked for your help? Yeah, me too! So let's work together and enjoy summer at it's finest.
I kept food simple this summer. When I say simple, I truly mean, SIMPLE. I decided I would create a summer menu making a plan for the month and replicate it the entire summer. I am sure we will have days we don't want that meal and we will switch it up but for the most part I am prepared. Now, all I have to do is get groceries about once every 2-3 weeks. Not only did I plan for the month, I kept the meals simple too. The perfect meals for summer. Download your free menu here: (breakfast, lunch, snacks & supper).
Also along with menu planning, I made sure groceries were bought and put away. I like to think of food in our home as semi prepped. Snacks are out of the box if they are in a package, fridge snacks are also out of the box. Washing produce before putting it in the fridge allows for anyone to grab what they need and eat it right away. When I am cooking or grabbing some fruit or veggies to snack on, the last thing I want to do is have to wash it before I eat it. I think of this the same for my kids. If they have to do one more thing in order for them to eat a healthy snack, they either won't eat it and go right for the treat snacks or have to rely on me to wash it for them. Trust me, I know because this has happened. Basically snacks and quick things to make, I wanted to be very little effort as possible or it wouldn't feel easy and quick.
With summer activities and sports in full force I wanted to be able to give my kids some freedom along with it but also not have them be on their screens all day with the house turning into a complete disaster. Snack wrappers everywhere, cupboard doors and drawers left open, blankets and pillows on the floor, all the lights on in the house and they haven't even stepped foot outside all day. So, with a little bit of structure comes a little bit of freedom. I call it a win win! I created a checklist for them with some daily and weekly tasks. These minor tasks will be so helpful to mom and dad but also giving them freedom to do whatever and stay active. I left a blank one for you to add in your own things.
I also added a grab & go station in our mudroom so they can be prepared and we aren't all flying by the seat of our pants grabbing all the things 5 minutes before we are needing to head out the door. Please don't mind my missing paint spots. Obviously the 3M strips and I were not getting along, and the wall got the brunt of it.
So how is structure freedom you ask? When you have a schedule of things you said yes to and responsibilities all planned out, then you can clearly see the spaces open for freedom. So you can fill those spaces with whatever you'd like. Read a book, relax, watch TV, take a nap, yoga, go for a walk, you name it. Your kid's can also do the same. While taking care of the responsibilities first seems boring, it dismisses procrastination right away with no opening of when it can come in. Kicking procrastination to the curb right away is such a beautiful and powerful thing. I challenge you to try it. I know there is already something top of mind right now that you have been procrastinating on. Go ahead and do that thing today, or at least start it. I guarantee you will already feel better and you won't have it weighing on your mind all week.
I hope this blog gave you the motivation you need to get started with a fun system your entire family will thank you for.
If you are past the point of doing it yourself and are wanting to hire it done, I am one click away. Fill out the form and I will be in contact with you.
Your Personal Organizer,
Alesha Berning