Back to School Basics

While most of the kids are back to the books, it seems like a good time to review some basics for us parents. Here are some ideas I use to help keep my kids organized when it comes time to head back to school:

• Set up a place for the kids to deposit papers that you need to review, like an in-box (ideally this will located near the point of entry).
• Install hooks at the entry way for book bags and coats.
• If you keep special papers, keep them under control with a simple document box. Be sure to review them at the end of each school year and weed out those that seem to have lost their "specialness" over time.
• Keep school notes, phone lists and schedules for activities in a central location. I use a 3-ring binder for this and keep it near the kitchen phone.
• A few simple prep steps on Sunday evening can help ensure a more smooth week; pick out clothing for the entire week, prepare lunches for the next day, review after-school activity plans and arrange to do household tasks for the least busiest days.

Even the best laid plans can't always prevent chaos from showing up every once in awhile, but maybe with the help of some of these suggestions, you can rest a little easier knowing that winter break is only a few months away!

Don't Use That Kind of Language Around Here!

Recently when my 5 year old daughter and I were on our way home from town, she exclaimed from the back seat, "I didn't know "pee" was a bad word!"

Not being a family who has ever actually refrained from using the word "pee" I replied, "pee's not a bad word, honey."

She proceeds to correct me, saying "It is, Mommy. "Pee" is a bad word around here." By this point I'm really not sure what she's talking about and am about to shrug it off as something she's heard from other kids or at the sitter's. Then she points out a sign as we drive past..."See that sign has a "P" with a line through it!"

Take 5 Friday - The Mom Taxi

My van had started to look like a caravan for wayward things instead of a mode of transportation for people. The front (my domain) wasn't too bad, but the dash looked like it hadn't seen a dustcloth in the the 3 years since I'd bought it. But, whoa! One look in the middle section where my two adorable kids sit and I knew it had to be done.

Until you actually SIT in the back from their vantage point, you don't really see all the stuff kids can cram into those side pockets! I actually even have to open the driver side back door every day when I help my littlest in and out of her carseat and I still didn't notice!

I figured the best line of defense in this case was to empty everything into a grocery sack and have the kids sit down and determine what was going to stay and what would go. I tossed the things that were clearly trash and wiped off the front dash. That took all of ten minutes and the van looked so much better for it. I would have still felt I'd accomplished something even if I'd have stopped there.

But, the great thing about these ten minute projects is that sometimes when you do have extra time, it inspires you to do more. I got out the shop vac and vacuumed the floors and the kids' seats where bits and pieces of snacks had accumulated...yuck!

What happened to that bag of stuff? I brought it inside, gave them their assignment. I heard everything from "that's not trash" to "but I need that for something to do". I'll fill you in...we live about 20 minutes from any location that we frequent and we haven't been on a "trip" that takes longer than an hour in over 3 years. They don't need anything to keep themselves that occupied. By the time we've reached our destination, they're still too busy squabbling with each other over the last thing they were arguing about when we left the house. All that stuff is NOT going back into the van!

The bag is still sitting in their room...waiting for one of them to cave and start putting their things away. I guess they didn't "need" that stuff after all. They're at their grandparents' this weekend...do you think they'd miss it if it "disappeared"?

What about you, did you tackle the junk in your trunk this week? Or maybe another, small but meaningful organizing project? Share your story with us here! If you're new to Take 5 Friday, please read the guidelines before posting. Thanks for participating!

Take 5 Friday - Kids Drawers

Drawer dividers are great...but they need to include at least a PG 13 rating. They just don't work well for kids. Kids get frustrated with the exact-ness required to put things neatly into them (let's face it, so do some adults). So, how do you keep those drawers straight without acting like the clothing police? Two words: mini crates.

These small storage crates from Sterilite are great. They "lock" together side-by-side, and they fit perfectly in my kids' drawers. I spent 5 minutes this week and made a HUGE difference in how my daughters put away and find their own clothes. Now that's a great return on investment of my time! Plus, they were less than a dollar each!

Before (left), my daughter's socks and underwear were mixed in with her pj's. Now (right), she has a separate crate for undies, one for socks and another that will be rotating (tights in the winter, swimsuits in the summer). It's amazing how much extra space it actually gave her because the crates keep articles more compact.

I did this in my oldest's drawer, too. But she would just "die of embarassment" if I showed you all her panties! All this in only 5 minutes! How about you? What did you accomplish in the time it takes for a coffee break? Share your posts and comments here. If you're new to Take 5 Friday, please read the guidelines before posting.

Take 5 Friday - My Sanity

Welcome to Take 5 Friday. Feel free to leave your comments. If you'd like to join in and link to your own Take 5 Friday post, please check out the guidelines for posting.

Our mornings and bedtimes have been very chaotic lately and it occurred to me that the main reason was we had fallen out of our regular routines. This makes for a very frustrated mom and cranky kids. I decided to print out some guidelines to help make our day start and end on a better note. Now, the logistics of the timing took some pre-thinking, but I'm pretty good on the clip art, so it only took me about 5 minutes to put together a kid-friendly version.

One side note: I am not a strict, stick-to-the-schedule-to-the-letter type. I don't want anyone thinking I'm going to be standing over my kids with a stopwatch, blowing a whistle. But I'm hoping this will at least keep them on track with steps to follow. The pictures will help my youngest, my oldest can stay on track and hopefully Mom will keep her sanity!

Edited to add: I realized after I posted this that the sheets wouldn't stay nice and neat for long. So, I put the two pages (morning and evening schedules) back to back and slipped them into a clear, plastic sheet protector. I'm happy to report that this morning's activities went off without any major setbacks!

"Are You Stretched Out, Mommy?"

The title words inspired by my 4 year old probably have you all conjuring up a myriad of images, I'm sure. But, after my initial outburst of laughter was under control, I realized how profound my little one was.

Let me give you the background. It was a particularly difficult day last week. Lots of things going on and going wrong. I was about to be called upon to be referee between my daughters for the umpteenth time that day, when I let out one of my patented sighs of exasperation (which is apparently a sign for those around me that Mom is near her breaking point). My youngest daughter comes up behind me, lays a hand on my shoulder and asks in her most concerned voice, "Are you stretched out, Mommy?" See, what she really meant was, "stressed out", but the common, everyday term got turned around...or did it?

I realized, I have been stretched out lately, stretched thin, to the point it doesn't feel like there's enough of me to go around. Between my organizing business, my job (normally 4 days a week as a paralegal) and home and family, there's just been very little time for me. No doubt about it, I'm stretched out! No time to think, to ponder, to read, to relax, to do any of the things I enjoy. I'm almost to the point where I've forgotten what it is that I enjoy. Scrapbooking, what's that? A manicure? Never heard of it.

I took my plight to my husband. "I need time out. I need time to recenter. I want to take yoga. Not just pop in the cd at home either. I want to go somewhere and "take yoga".

He's usually a really supportive guy, so I wasn't surprised that he was very agreeable to the idea. (Plus he knows if mom's not happy, nobody's happy.) He even suggested he'd call his friend who owns a local fitness center and set something up for me. It's this great place, he told me, with a kids area right next to the class and a big window so I can keep an eye on the kids. You know, if he ever needs to drop them off to me for any reason.

"No way, bud! The point of me getting out alone is to get out alone! You know, like you do when you play softball twice a week."

"Oh," he says. "Is that what you meant?" He was even more agreeable then. Lucky for him.

I took my first class this past Thursday and it was great! Aside from the sore, stiff muscles in places I didn't know had muscles, it was very relaxing. The balance ball was interesting. I always felt slighted as a kid because I never got a "hippity hop ball". Now I figure this is my chance to re-live my childhood. And as I bend and twist my way into "downward facing dog" (that's a yoga pose by the way) I think to my self, "Now I'm really stretched out!"

Back To School Basics

School is almost here. For many people, the end of summer means back to school and a more hectic schedule. Even if you don't have children at home, many of us can benefit from basic organizing tips to help stay better organized.

Organizing 101

With school only a few short weeks away, preparation is underway for our youngsters to return to the halls of learning. Here are a few tips that parents can use to help kids hit the books with some organizational knowledge in hand.
• Obtain a list of needed school supplies and hit the store. If you don’t have the list handed out at the end of the year, visit your school’s website or check major supply stores for a copy. Most local stores post them near the front or in the school supply section.
• When it comes to items that are less durable, such as folders and crayons, stock up now when prices are at their lowest. Check what additional supplies are needed for second semester and purchase those now as well.
• Try a plastic accordion style expanding file for transporting homework, spelling lists, graded papers, etc. They are more durable than paper folders and most come with dividers so you can establish good learning habits early on.
• Anticipate supplies needed for special projects, such as poster board, extra glue, markers, etc. and purchase a minimal supply ahead of time to help prepare for those last minute “mom, I forgot I have a project due tomorrow!” days.
• Speaking of last minute notifications, keep a frozen tub of cookie dough on hand in case you suddenly become volunteered to donate to the bake sale or class snack.

While these ideas are sure to make the grade, more importantly they are teaching kids to take an active role in the planning process while learning valuable organizing and time management skills from you which aren’t always taught in a book. And that’s something they can take with them throughout their grade school years, to college and beyond.