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11 May 2012

More About Time Management For Parents

Thanks for so many great responses to my request for your best Time Saving Tips for Parents a selection of which appear below.  (Check the previous post)

From Deborah:
Get rest. Sounds counter productive to getting things done but a rested, fit and healthy mother can work harder than a tired one.

New baby? When baby goes to sleep for (hopefully) a couple of hours you sleep too. Set the alarm for an hours’ time so you can get up and get some jobs done before baby wakes. If the baby wakes earlier you had the most important thing – rest.   

From Julie:
Spend one night per week (I usually choose  Sunday) to bring together all the family demands and events for the week.  This helps to make sure appointments and events have not been forgotten and to decide whether there is too much going on (therefore back out of things).  This planning takes time but ensures both the children’s and parent’s time and needs met.

Schedule bill payments, washing, and other routine domestic chores to one night per week.  For example pay bills on a Monday, do washing on Friday night or a Saturday, rather than do every job randomly as things come in.

Provide children with age appropriate responsibilities – tidying their room, setting and clearing the table, packing their school and kindy bags, and ways they can help each other get ready – dressed, hair done etc.  Children love the responsibility and need for their own self-esteem to know that they are capable and those little things really help.

To help get them started I make a list with them on what needs to be done, then photograph them doing it and put the list on the fridge as a reference – particularly for the morning routine.

Also buy a clock the children can read (not Roman numerals) that can sit at the table so they can manage their own time – breakfast finished when the “big hand gets to the ..”.

Start preparing for birthdays a month in advance and for the food etc a week in advance – I schedule out what needs to be done each night for the week prior to the party – it helps me manage to get there without being exhausted and no stress.


From Davina:

I have a 6 yr old and a 3 yr old. When we are running late in the morning and I need to get out of the house for work we have a special breakfast. It’s called “toast in a bag” and can be eaten in the car or on the bus!

 

 

From Felita:
Dettol wipes
are great for a quick clean of the toilet when you’re too busy for the full bucket & disinfectant job.

Instead of trying to do all jobs every day or in a single day give yourself 20-30mins a day for 1 extra thing on top of the normal. For example, one day you might use it to wipe out the fridge (a good day to do this is the day before you do your shopping so you get to check what you need and make room for the new lot), or wipe down the windows & window sills in one room, or tidy up the pantry and wipe it out.

By knocking off 1 extra job a day you’ll feel more in control so then next time you see that job that you don’t have time to do, you can mentally schedule it for the next “extra” slot.


2 thoughts on “More About Time Management For Parents”

  1. Angela Tanner says:

    Hi Robyn,
    Great to get some practical tips as a parent. I’m looking forward to meeting you in Masterton next week. Do you have any tips for a teenage who is lacking in time management. I would like to empower her with some skills rather than continually nag or comment on her lack of time management!She seems reluctant in learning from me at this age. Regards.

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