Parent Magazine Volusia/Flagler June 2019 | Page 22

Call a family meeting. Take charge of the situation lose track of the big picture. Assign one parent as the
as soon as you can by calling a family meeting. Tell keeper of the master plan and keep it updated daily.
everyone to bring their calendars and scheduling tools, Put all your critical to-dos on it. Glance at it in the
if they are old enough to manage their own. Make morning and before bed. Much stress will disappear
some beverages, put out some cookies, and go through once one person takes on the role of family dispatcher.
the upcoming week one day at a time. Now is also
time to figure out carpooling, best shopping times,
and whether or not it is humanly possible to squeeze
everything in.
Expect everyone to be responsible. Just because
you are the dispatcher, does not mean you should
manage schedules for kids who are old enough to do it
themselves. Taking responsibilities off of your children’s
Make scheduling a weekly event. Some families shoulders does not serve them or the family. Who is
have formal, complex family meeting but this is not the weakest link in this scheduling arrangement? Let
going to help most families because you won’t likely them know how important good communication is, not
stick with it. Instead, a quick drink and cookie break just in the family, but also in life in general. Then help
on Sunday afternoons might just turn into something them figure out a system that works well for them. Try
everyone actually enjoys. At the end of the scheduling to make the most of their natural strengths if they are
session, ask, “Does anyone have anything else they predominantly visual, verbal, aural, physical or logical.
want to discuss?” Soon, you’ll be kicking each week
off strong using the power of good, old-fashioned
communication.
Keep priorities straight. If you are following these
suggestions and meeting your family commitments
still feels unmanageable, then some things are going
Create a master calendar. Every person in the family to have to give. Don’t look to others to find out
who is old enough to write should have his or her where your feelings of overwhelm are originating
own calendar. Without a master plan you are going to — look within. Have you let your priorities become
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