2023 Author: Anita Thornton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-22 03:30
Being a parent these days is a bit like becoming a leader of an SME. Imagine for a moment that you are also the president of two companies…
There you are in my daily life!
As parents, you have to manage budgets and schedules, delegate tasks and provide psychological, moral and environmental support to those around you. Add to that my double job as CEO of La venue de la cigogne and the Cigogne Coup d’Aile baby planning agency…
I decided to give you some of my strategies to achieve sound management and not to lose (stork) feathers!
Delegate, you must
In order not to bear the burden of the household alone, nor to transfer everything onto the shoulders of one's spouse, one must learn to delegate and all the members of one's family must participate.
I created responsibility charts for each of my two daughters. Each must perform the same number of tasks, depending on their age.
- Day to day: making your bed, placing the cutlery, clearing the table, putting away your clothes, unpacking your lunch box, etc.
- Once a week: bring in the recycling and compost bin, empty the garbage cans, tidy up your room, etc.
I have also adapted my house for children, in order to facilitate storage.
Clever layouts
- A tiered shoe rack: one row per person
- Hooks on the wall, at the height of the children
- A cabinet with lockers: each member of the family has one and can fit gloves, toque, wallet, etc.
- A safe in the living room: perfect for having a spotless living room in 10 seconds
- A message board with key hooks: a very visual way to consult the school and extracurricular calendar and not lose your keychain- A calendar with a color code: a quick way to note appointments
To manage everything, it is also important to build a solid extended network (friends, neighbors, grandparents) and not to depend only on your clan.
The Morning Run
The famous subway-work-sleep starts running in most homes. At the sound of the alarm clock, everyone must get busy getting ready quickly and efficiently. To lighten it up, here is what I prepare the night before:
- I choose the clothes
- I'm preparing the coffee maker
- I take out the breakfast dishes
- I prepare the lunches
- I put the school bags on the doorstep
My advice: Never turn on the television during the routine. This is a trap that wastes time.
Here are some strategies I use to never overload myschedule, and my mind.
Strategies to save time
- Start a load of laundry every morning.
- Load-go-empty the dishwasher every day to avoid piles of dishes.
- Double the meals and use them in children's lunches.
- Use the slow cooker cheerfully.
- Wash and/or cut fruits and vegetables as soon as you return from the supermarket.
- Stock up to avoid last-minute shopping.- Hire staff (cleaning, catering, etc.) when I'm overwhelmed.
Here, in connection with the big pitfalls of parenthood in terms of management, is my ultimate advice:
- Learn to say NO.
- Do not forget yourself. It is important to have an activity opposite to your work. For my part, my hobby is not reading since I write and revise all week long. Instead, I focus on running, furniture enhancement, and my choir.
This is how I manage to get through my daily life with a smile on my face!
