You are here: Home / Archives for Lists

FREE Download: Morning Assignments Chart

Posted by on September 1, 2012 Leave a Comment

Some people nest. I make charts.

As a new school year bites at our heels, I’m starting to focus on the things that need to happen to get us out the door on time. I’m also thinking a lot about the things I’d like to train our kids to do on their own. (See my “Good Morning” Chart)

This chart is a little different. It’s been waiting for our cherubs nearly every day for the past week or so and they have really liked the direction it offers. Here’s how we’re using it:

  • Mom is out for a walk when kids wake up; using this gives a focus to their activities and prevents TV time
  • Mom and dad are sleeping in and want the kids to get going on chores right away in the morning
  • Mom is doing her Bible Study (or fill-in-the-blank) and doesn’t want to be interrupted

Because we only homeschool “unofficially”, our kids will be running out the door each morning and I know that this sheet won’t be in use every day. However, we have been trying to get going on chores immediately after breakfast on Saturday, and having this chart will be perfect. If the kids wake up before mom and dad they can get started before breakfast! At our house, the sooner we finish, the sooner we play.

 

…on “Homework”

We’ve been trying to be purposeful about having our kids read, practice flashcards, play their instruments, or write over summer vacation. In the “Homework” section I add a couple of things that I know they can do on their own, aiming for about 20 minutes of work. One of my favorite assignments is to have the kids read a chapter in their current library book and complete this summary sheet for me. Laminate one and use a Vis-a-Vis to save paper!
If you are an “official” homeschooler, this is not necessarily meant to replace your teaching time unless you have a very self-directed child. Instead, it’s meant to prompt your student to get their wheels turning before the “real” work begins.

 

…on “Breakfast”

As a side note, I don’t always have my kids make their own breakfast, but this past week my exercise schedule was such that they had to grab their own cereal (thus the first check box). On Saturday I used the chart but crossed off the first box and wrote a note that I’d be making breakfast for the family. Allow some flexibility and don’t be afraid to delete or add items!
Hope it’s helpful! If nothing else, it’s just another tool in your toolbox.

 

Click <<HERE>> to download the .pdf or click and drag on the .jpg above.

Filed Under: Chores/Tasks, Discipline, FREE Charts, Homework Helps, Lists, Teaching Responsibility, Time Management, Training Children | Tagged: Tagged With: , , , , ,

FREE Summer Goal Sheet

Posted by on May 18, 2012 2 Comments

When I think of summer I think of a wide expanse of minutes stretching into days that culminate in memories. Like so many moms, I want to make sure to be intentional about how I spend those minutes and days, so when autumn blows in I can look back without regrets.


Those of us who have the privilege of staying home with our kids have a unique opportunity to spend 90 days — 1/4 of the year! — being our kids’ teacher, taxi driver, nature discovery pointer-outer, adventure director, and spiritual guide.  Of course we’re always those things, but summer is a special time to be on the clock, ’round the clock.

That’s why we’re going into this summer with some goals. A goal sheet is not about deadlines and demands: it’s about dreams and doing life together. I’ve affectionately named our goal sheet a {beach} bucket list and I’d love for you to download your own!

Here’s your FREE DOWNLOADABLE CHART (.pdf) or simply click and drag the .jpg above!

What do you hope to do this summer with your family?

 

 

Filed Under: Enjoying Nature, Family Night, For Fun, goal-setting, Having fun with your kids, Idea Lists, Lists, Time Management, Treasuring Your Kids | Tagged: Tagged With: , ,

Hello, Ice Cream. Meet Halloween.

Posted by on November 3, 2011 Leave a Comment

Let’s be frank: I’m not sure how much “learning” is happening with this activity, but it sure is tasty! Don’t let the fear of a short-lived sugar-overload stop you from getting out the blender; you’ll be a hero after the first sip!

The night after Halloween was a “Super-Fun Mom Night,” [more on those later...] and I decided to win points with my offspring by letting them choose FIVE, yes–that’s right–five mini candy bars from their Halloween stash to make into a shake. Drawing inspiration from Smashburger’s insanely delicious Butterfinger shake, we selected our favs and tossed them to their doom. The kids lined up their picks and waited their turns so I could blend each shake individually and to order. It’s 5-Star treatment on Super-Fun Mom Night!

Mmmm…nothing beats Hudsonville ice cream!

Follow up with sprinkles and snuggle time while you watch a great movie, and you’ll make a memory they won’t soon forget! DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE SHAKE CHART HERE to record your creations and get the kids writing in the kitchen!

Who knows…maybe you’ll raise a future restauranteur with a killer dessert menu! When Barbara Walters interviews them they’ll look deeply into the camera and say, “You know, it all started one night with my mom…”

 

Filed Under: Family Night, Having fun with your kids, Kids in the Kitchen, Lists, Teaching Culinary Skills, Time with Mom, Treasuring Your Kids | Tagged: Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Goal Sheet for Mom

Posted by on October 29, 2011 1 Comment

If you’ve ever struggled to get out of bed and get your day moving in the general direction of productivity, then you’ll be able to relate to this. I was talking with a very close friend this morning and we were both bemoaning how we had wasted some precious morning hours to lack of planning. Be it exhaustion or kid-craziness or {dare I admit my own…} laziness, we found ourselves staring at an 11:00 clock not believing that time had crept so close to lunch!

This conversation brought to mind something that happened several months ago: another friend of mine had asked me to create a goal sheet to help with her planning. In a flash, my memory snapped back to the idea of charting each day and waking up with a general idea of what needed to get done. Of course I am not an advocate for rigid inflexibility! However I am an advocate for maintaining a home that I can be comfortable in without tripping over piles of laundry.

Though that has been known to happen. On occasion.

So my weekend gift to you is this chart for FREE. I’m posting a generic version for you to DOWNLOAD HERE and use starting this week Monday. I hope you’ll stop back and leave a comment to let me know if you’ve found it helpful!

  • Your name goes on the blue “_______’s” line, with the date following.
  • In the three boxes labeled with “School” and “Chores”, write the name of each of your kids in each box. Hopefully this will help with your schooling goals or general learning goals for the day. Of course some of you already use a teacher’s planner, but I know some homeschool moms who don’t. Perhaps listing a few activities would make the day run more smoothly? [I'd love your input here, moms!]
  • In the “Personal Quiet Time” box, write down either what you’ll be reading, who you’re praying for, or what you feel God is teaching you.
  • 3-hole punch these and keep them in a binder for a great accounting of your time and how God’s working in your home!


How do you plan your days? What have you found to be an effective tool?

 

 

 

Filed Under: Bible Time, Chores/Tasks, Discipline, goal-setting, Idea Lists, Lists, Meal Planning | Tagged: Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Home Alone Chart for Your Child

Posted by on October 18, 2011 5 Comments

Knowing when to allow your child to stay home alone—and for how long—is a tough patch of water to navigate.

Perhaps it was a different time [back in the 80's!] but I remember babysitting when I was ten! And for five children, at that! Was I exceptionally responsible? Or were the adults crazy?

I’m beginning to form the opinion that it depends on the child and it depends on the circumstances. At our house, only the oldest child has been left alone, and for a handful of minutes at that. Yet he feels ready, and he has earned our trust in small bites over the years.

For those reasons and others, we have begun to test the water little by little. Thankfully, these small steps have gone very smoothly and we feel we are moving at a reasonable pace with these new responsibilities. However, when our son recently decided to play outside with a buddy while I was gone, dad returned to an empty home and panicked!

The lessons we learned were:

  1. Even if you only anticipate being gone for a minute, leave a note with instructions and helps.
  2. Teach your expectations to your child before hand. Don’t assume they know them.
  3. Practice these expectations and review instructions often to ensure they’ve been soaked up by your child.
To help with the note, I’ve designed a FREE DOWNLOADABLE for you today to use in your home!
This is what we’ll be using from now on, and I think it will offer some peace of mind for those moments of transition and waiting for parents to return. Please share with your friends!
Click on the image above for a jpg document, or HERE for a pdf.

Have you waded into the water of leaving older children home alone? What have you learned? [photo]

Filed Under: Character Training, Communication, Lists, Teaching Obedience, Teaching Responsibility, Time Management, Training Children, Treasuring Your Kids, Uncategorized | Tagged: Tagged With: , , , ,

Family Photo Walks

Posted by on September 8, 2011 Leave a Comment

On hazy, lazy evenings with nothing planned, my husband and I like to snag an unclaimed hour or two to enjoy a family walk.

HOWEVER…

Sometimes our kids fail to see the charm in leaving friends and bikes behind to hoof it through the neighborhood.

The nerve, right?

So a couple of weeks ago we decided to put a twist on our evening outside to keep things interesting and capture the fickle attention of our children. I’d love to tell you more about it!

For all the details of our fun and free activity PLUS a family devotional, subscribe for this month’s newsletter HERE.

Be sure to “Like” our facebook page, too!

Filed Under: Enjoying Nature, Family Night, Games, Having fun with your kids, Lists | Tagged: Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Our “Reward Jar”

Posted by on July 19, 2011 3 Comments

I know not everyone’s on board with rewards or the concept of dangling carrots. I get that. Using reward charts to encourage positive behavior from your kids can sometimes be seen as surface-level parenting rather than getting to the heart issue causing negative behavior in the first place.

My own opinion is that, when properly balanced with heart instruction, rewards can be effective encouragement for kids.

Sometimes a little boost, a grace in the training, a small “I noticed that gesture of kindness,” can be a huge motivator for children who may feel their days are otherwise overrun with struggles.

So today I thought I’d share some ways in which we use our reward jar.

  • Yesterday you were offered a FREE DOWNLOAD to encourage your family to join the effort in turning off unused lights and appliances; at our house, when an individual accumulates 10 tally marks, she gets to choose from the reward jar.
  • We try to reward small moments when a child goes above and beyond the expected, particularly when they’ve shown a strong work ethic.
  • Sometimes I’ll allow a reward jar selection when one of our kids is happy to help me or their dad in a moment of need
  • …when I catch them including a buddy who would otherwise be left out
  • doing a self-motivated act of kindness
  • …when they practice an instrument for X days in a row–or another agreed-upon goal

One thing I really made an effort to do when compiling this jar was to not make too many food-based rewards. Can you believe that’s harder than one might think! We don’t want to send the message that the only way to celebrate and enjoy time together is around a bowl of ice cream [although let's be honest, it is a dee-lish treat in the summer!].

Here are some of the things in our jar:

  • a trip to _____Park
  • a library visit
  • choose a new book from mom’s secret stash
  • go to a ball game with dad
  • invite a friend over to play
  • make cookies with mom
  • rent a movie of your choice
  • order pizza for dinner
  • buy a book from the next book order at school
  • pick out a new coloring book
  • have a glass of pop with dinner
  • get a new pack of play dough at Target

So what is your opinion about using rewards? What kind of rewards do you offer your kids…if you do?

[photo credit]

Filed Under: Character Training, Creativitiy, Encouraging Selflessness and other-thinking, Idea Lists, Imagination, Lists, Rewards, Training Children, Uncategorized | Tagged: Tagged With: , , , ,

Easy Spelling Practice

Posted by on June 20, 2011 Leave a Comment

Kids out of school for the summer not only signals the beginning of slip-and-slide season and dripping popsicles, but the start of a sneaky brain-drain. Whether your children are taking a break from homeschooling or enjoying a 3-month vacation from traditional school, the looming threat is that up to TWO MONTHS of learning can be lost during this time of year.

YIKES!

So today I thought I’d share an easy idea for spelling practice and organizing with mom: MEAL PLANNING. When I first debuted my meal planner, I included suggestions for how you could bring your child into the kitchen with you to actually wash and chop and cook.

My approach today came to me while my son and I sat down to plan this week’s meals and I had him not only write it all out, but also DO THE PLANNING! We discussed each meal, of course, and I added the beans and broccoli to his suggestions of red meat and potatoes. {smile}  Amidst all the planning he was forced to remember his phonics rules and when to drop those pesky “e’s” before adding -ing, etc. There were many words we sounded out together, and a few that called for a total re-write [to which he protested, "Mom, it's not time to edit yet!"]

menu planning

But spelling wasn’t the only thing learned today. I think this exercise helped him to realize:

  • …how much planning goes into being the family chef
  • …that there are several components to consider, not simply deciding on a protein
  • …that it is vital to keep a well-stocked pantry and carefully consider your shopping list at the start of a week

Additionally, he assigned the sous chef position to his siblings based on each meal’s level of difficulty, giving himself nights when he could assist his dad at the grill, and doling out easy casserole nights to his little brother. Sister got stuck with jobs like sauteeing veggies and washing fruit.

Planning meals with our kids has helped me to see that my oldest [pictured above] really has a heart for cooking. He truly enjoys browning hamburger and unlocking the secrets to Kraft Mac-n-Cheese! And mom loves it because he’s next to me, inching up closer and closer to my shoulders, jabbering about his day and his friends and things on his heart.

So here’s my confession: maybe meal planning together isn’t so much about teaching cooking skills or practicing spelling. Maybe it’s more about connecting with my kids.

That’s one menu item that I’ll plan for as often as I can.

meal planning chart, meal planning for the week

Freebie for YOU!

Q4U: What are some easy ways you help keep your child up-to-speed in the summer?

 

Filed Under: Kids in the Kitchen, kitchen time, Lists, Meal Planning, Teaching Spelling | Tagged: Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

5 Ways to Use Notes With Your Kids

Posted by on April 29, 2011 Leave a Comment

I’ve told you before that I love paper in all forms. In fact, next month I’m looking forward to a blog makeover, and my name will change to Girl Meets Paper to reflect my love of writing–and because I use so many printed charts, calendars, flash cards and report cards while I “unofficially homeschool” my kids.

Paper is my friend in any form: card, canvas, notes, or napkins–anything that will sacrifice itself to be a carrier of sentiment and feeling. I would also argue that because few people take the time to handwrite letters anymore, when someone does take a few moments to express love, gratitude, and affection, it is special.

Which brings me today: 5 Easy Ways to Use Notes With Your Kids.

1. The United States Postal Service: Last fall my husband and I went on vacation without the kids, and I knew that by day 3 our children would be missing us. So before we left I bought some Hallmark Kids’s cards and wrote a little note in each one, and then asked my neighbor to mail them for me so they would arrive at Grandma’s house during our absence. Even if you’re not separated from your family, imagine their joy to go to the mailbox and see something from YOU…instead of another American Girl catalog.

2. Lunch Notes: Of course any scrap of paper will work here, but I recommend THESE for a cute burst of love in your little one’s lunch pail. They’re adorable, they’re easy, they’re small, and even if your third grader acts too old to receive them, he secretly loves knowing his mama is thinking about him. I guarantee it.

3. Notepads: I think my obsession with paper is a genetic trait that’s been passed down to my daughter. So imagine my delight when I found this cool stack of color at Staples for just $2! I bought them and used it as an opportunity to leave her a note after school. Maybe you could do the same?

4. Stickies on the Mirror: Why not let your kids discover something special from you while they brush their teeth in the morning? Some ideas:

  • an encouraging Bible verse for the day
  • “I was so proud of you when…”
  • “Have I ever told you that…”
  • “You make me laugh when you…”

5. Mail Monday! Last year as part of our family Valentine’s day fiesta I gave each of the kids a mini mailbox with their name on it–the kind from the ‘dollar spot at Target. They are red and cute and have an actual working flag to indicate new mail. Our tradition here is “Mail Monday.” Though I’ve fallen off the wagon recently, generally speaking our kids receive a card or note from me every Monday morning. It’s nothing extravagant or fancy, but in it I express something I appreciate, love, cherish, treasure about them; a simple way to start the week together!

So how do you communicate with your little ones? Do you have a great idea to share?

…and if this post was helpful to you, would you please pass it along to another mom who might enjoy it?

[first posted on my former blog]

 

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Filed Under: Communication, Lists, Treasuring Your Kids, Uncategorized | Tagged: Tagged With: , , , , ,