Have your kids ever surprised you with a school event you weren’t expecting? Get ahead of the game this year. Access your school’s academic calendar, whether online or through your kids’ orientation packets, and mark important days in your planner, such as the beginning and ending dates for the semester, holidays, and sporting events. Then …
If your kids have trouble finding a quiet place to do their homework, then it’s time to create one. The ideal location is somewhere out of earshot of noisy televisions and off the main traffic areas of your home. Organize a desk with pencils, paper, and other supplies, and have “Things Mom Needs to Sign” …
Finding a great backpack involves a lot of balance—literally, to avoid your small children looking like plodding Galapagos tortoises, and figuratively, to get the best features with the right style. Select a comfortable, stylish, and functional bag with room for all needed supplies, and your child will head back to school with a new found …
For the kids who live at home, it’s almost time for registration. For new college freshmen, it’s almost time to move out on their own. Wherever your kids fall along this spectrum, it’s helpful to take a notes page in your planner and write out everything that needs to happen before they go back to …
Wouldn’t it be nice if summer came with a lunch menu? Elementary school students are used to selecting a school lunch or a sandwich from home, while your teenagers choose the cafeteria or a fast food restaurant for each day. How about you? Go through the past week in your planner and note what you …
The easiest routine is the one that your circumstances dictate for you. But when the school bus isn’t coming, what will get your kids out of bed? Discuss a good morning routine with your family, decide how to spend your time, and set it down in your planner to help keep things on schedule. With …
Do your kids know the number to call in case of an emergency? And if Grandma isn’t home, which number do they call next? Prepare an emergency contact list with a package of Address/Phone Tabs, keep it in an easily accessible place in your home, and teach your kids where it’s located and how to …
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Summer gets crammed full of activities: family vacations, sporting events, and continuing education all get layered on top of your normal responsibilities. With so much going on, it can be easy to forget something the kids need when they head back to school. Keep a running checklist for each child in your planner, and you’ll …
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“They are able because they think they are able.” – Virgil
No two people are the same, so there is no one-size-fits-all solution for planning. Before the start of the school year, discuss different planning styles with your child, and then help select a planner. If your child has many extracurricular activities, then a daily planner would provide space to schedule everything, while a child who …
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Accountability comes one day at a time. When you set a new goal, the excitement keeps you going at first. But then, as the novelty wears off, it’s easy to slip back into your old habits. Find space in your planner to track this goal daily. Whether you’re tracking your daily water intake or finding …
There is a path that lets your dreams become reality: consistent goals. But in order to keep this path open, you need to keep your goals in mind, rather than letting distractions clog your attention and your focus. Your planner is an indispensable tool for keeping your goals fresh. As you break your goals down …
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If your busy life hasn’t left you with a full day for spring cleaning, then it’s time to finish up. Instead of cleaning your home from top to bottom, identify lots of individual tasks that still need to be done. You can then schedule these tasks in your planner and fit them into your busy …
With just four days left until the Thanksgiving feast, it’s time to prepare with a well-organized shopping list. Organize your list in your planner, and don’t forget these categories: Produce Dairy Meats Desserts Toppings Any extra dishes needed to cook the big meal Decorations
