Family Fun & Mom Time Now That School is Back In Session!

Well, it's always crazy the first few weeks that the kids go back to school until everyone gets into their schedule and routine. For mom's it's almost like running a business! The scheduling of sports events, parties and plays plus managing class fees and lunch money - it's a full time job on it's own! Then we have to make sure as the school year goes along that we take care of the Halloween costumes, winter gear, haircuts, school pictures - it just goes on and on and on. But - as moms we still want to get that quality family time in, too. That's where your time management, organization and multi-tasking skills really come in handy!

In my own house, I keep three calendars. There's one on my fridge (although right at this moment it's still in a box from the move) that my boys can all keep track of what's going on and add to it if they need to. I write meals on it, their appointments, school stuff - anything they need to keep track of with me. I also carry a student planner that plans out all of the school activities and doctors appointments. Then I have my own personal calendar for just my needs.

For the never ending school notes and papers, each of my boys have a file bin. They put what they bring home into their bins and then I get to look through it, put important notes on the fridge so I don't forget, add dates to calendars, throw away regular school papers and then save their art projects. I've been using this system a couple of years and I've learned I have to check the bins every day because they can fill up fast!
Email is a great and wonderful thing now-a-days. Instead of having to call a dozen different teachers, it's so nice just to be able to email a question here and there. It's great when I lose a note to be able to just ask the teacher about it. I also email for updates when I'm concerned about something.

Winter gear - can you say OMG?? We live up in Wisconsin so it starts getting cold in October usually. I collect winter gear throughout the year, recycling whatever I can. It all gets stored in a bin with gloves taking up most of the space. With four boys always losing gloves we can never have enough! My bin has grown from a little one, to a big big bin since we've been collecting hand-me-down gloves and hats from the older sons for the younger sons.

I also recycle costumes, so we have a bin full of masks, costumes, makeup, accessories and stuff from previous years. I actually still have my youngest son's 1st costume and he's 6 now! I keep saying I'll put it on eBay but I think I just can't let go of it or something because I just never get around to getting it listed LOL

So let's look at some family fun deals for this week, shall we? I know some of you moms have all of your children in school, some still have little ones at home and some home school, but I think it's important to set aside at least one day a week during the school year (besides the weekend) for "family night". Ours is usually Wednesday night, but I'll admit sometimes we don't always get to have our full family night during football season or when my son is working his farm job, but I do try.


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