The Best Tips Creating A Family Schedule
To an outsider or non-parent, a schedule or routine for a family may seem like a simple, straightforward task. As I have learned over the last eleven years of parenting, it is one of the most challenging things a parent must do—and can be time consuming. Sometimes you can feel like you are permanently stuck on planning mode. Why are family schedules and routines difficult? Putting together a successful family schedule and routine and executing it requires a lot of skills like:
Time management
Ability to prioritize
General organizational skills
Communication skills
Problem-solving skills
Tech skills (for those using digital calendars)
Ability to adapt and be flexible
Lastly, leadership skills to execute the schedule and routine
As with anything in parenting, we all come into the role with certain strengths and weaknesses. This is not a bad thing or good thing; it is just reality. Also, we all have different skillsets based on our lives and experiences prior to being a parent. Some of you are natural planners and schedulers, but others may really struggle with how to put a cohesive family schedule or routine together. And, of course, even if you get a schedule and routine on paper, you still have to get you and your family to follow it. (And I mean follow it for more than a day or week.)
How do you do this? There will be a lot of trial and error even for the parents who are natural planners because juggling the needs of a family is not straightforward and it changes over time. Fortunately there are some practical tips that can help you as you make your family schedules and routines:
Realistic expectations. When you create a schedule or routine, it will rarely go exactly as planned. There are just too many variables in life. It is best to accept that what happens will always be some variation of your schedule or routine. Don’t be too hard on yourself.
Keep a journal for one week, writing down how you spent your time to create some awareness. Knowing how you actually spend your time is the first step to good time management.
Schedule your family’s most important activities first. To prioritize, understanding your values can be helpful in this process. (See our blog on family values.) This means aligning what you feel is important with the activities you and your family prioritize first in your schedule.
Anchor your schedule. This means have a couple of activities that happen at the same time almost every day to create structure or anchor your schedule. Meals, wake-up time, bedtime, and family meetings are great examples of tasks you can use to anchor your schedule.
Shared calendar. Have a calendar that you share and that is accessible to everyone in the family. Even toddlers can have a board with pictures of their daily routine. This is the simplest way to communicate a family schedule.
Family meetings is another way to take time to discuss the family schedule, especially for parents with older kids. (See our blog on Tips For Communicating With Your Child.)
Extra time. Block off more time for appointments than needed or simply block off times in the day to give yourself space for error. This helps prevent over scheduling, running late, and the need to re-schedule things when minor changes need to be made.
Say no. Be willing to set healthy boundaries and say no when something just doesn’t fit into you family schedule. You cannot do it all and that is okay. This ultimately will simplify your day.
Set time limits. There are lots of tasks in parenting that are, in a way, never ending, like laundry. For these tasks, set time limits and do what you can within that time. This will help you stay on schedule, prevent multi-tasking, and help you complete tasks in a more realistic timeframe (even if over multiple days).
Make time for scheduling. Make an appointment with yourself to work on scheduling and any other organization or preparation work you need to do. This all takes time, and if it doesn’t make it into your calendar, it likely won’t happen.
Even with practical tips and some of the best technology humans have ever had, you are still the one who has to create your family schedule and follow through with it. No one can do that but you. So, the last tip on the list is really the first step to creating a family schedule, which is making the time in your day to do it. Good luck!
Need a little extra help to get started? Check out our Daily Calendar Templates.
