Baby Steps

We moms sometimes feel like there is so much to do and that we have to get it all done right now. At least this mom struggles with that from time to time.

We had taken a much needed break this summer from school, and other things like keeping on top of the house. Due to early pregnancy sickness, I was almost useless around here.

So then its time to get started again. Re-train children on chores and household duties. Catch up on the house work. Deep clean. Get school work ready. Schedule our day. We have thought it through...planned it out....its Monday....

O.K. Ready.....get set..... GO!!

Well...why didn't everything just fall right into place?!? I have decided that I am going to break it down into baby steps. Until we are all, including me trained to walk through the day in a productive fashion. I love to stay in my PJ's until about noon...not any more. I am getting up and dressed and making my bed first thing in the morning. I am getting my laundry done and PUT AWAY daily. I am training the kids thoroughly on their chores and how to properly clean each of their designated rooms or (zones). I am cleaning my bathrooms on a daily basis. The boys at night before bed, ours in the morning after I'm done getting ready. Consistently on a daily basis, which is my downfall....I have a nod and wave relationship with consistency. I had told myself two years ago that as soon as I could stay focused and get my home in order and the children daily doing school work...then I could begin midwifery school. Well I still haven't started. LOL
My goal is that by Jan 2007 I will be ready to take on an extra responsibility, without neglecting what is my first calling.

Its been a week and I am adding more each day. That's the key, we don't have to get it all done exactly as we planned it the first day or even the first few weeks. So many homeschool moms especially when they are first starting out or even starting a new year begin to feel over whelmed by what looks like more than we can do (correctly). Its easy to do 100 things halfway...ask me how I know.

Another way to do it is to split your schedule up. Begin working on the things listed in the morning. Really training the children as well as yourself to get up, get dressed, make beds, the older ones can be taught to make breakfast for the days they are on breakfast duty. The little ones can be taught basics like brushing teeth correctly, how to get dressed on their own. Then devotions or quite time. Then when you feel that everyone is doing their part correctly...move on to the noon part of the schedule. Train in that until everyone has a grasp as of their duties for that time. You get the picture. For me this way of looking at it is working really well.