Set Up a Calendar Today

See also:  [Family Councils] [Lists] [Planners] [Time Management]

    A well-used wall calendar is an organizing homemaker's best friend.  It is a tool which can bless her life every single day.  However, it is also a tool which must be set up and reviewed each and every day to do its job.    Let's start at the beginning of the year.  12-month calendars are usually available at office supplies stores for a modest price.  Purchase one during the last few months of the year to get a head start on the new year.  

    This calendar is for your whole family's use and should be kept near the kitchen table ( where most family members are together at least once a day).  Label the calendar right away with the known following items for the next year:  birthdays, holidays, when school starts, school vacations, when school ends, and family vacation dates.  Colorful stickers can be added to emphasize important dates such as hearts for Valentine's Day, and balloons for birthdays.

        Any time you receive an invitation to an event (such as a wedding, shower or birthday party), decide whether you will be attending or not, and if so, note the date and time on the calendar.  (Keep the invitation in your "pending" file and check to see if you have an appropriate gift on your "secret shelf".)  When the children's soccer schedule is brought home, take a minute and note the times and dates on your calendar.  One family found that using stickers for regular, repeating events was enough to remind them of their commitments.  In other words, blue stickers were put on Tuesdays to remind them of piano lessons, green stickers were used on Wednesday for soccer practice, and pink stickers were for dance lessons on Friday.  Even the youngest members of the family can easily learn to associate the colored stickers to certain commitments in their lives.

    At the beginning of each month, review the calendar and add additional notes to help your days go better.  If Kevin's birthday is on the 15th, when will you take him birthday shopping?  Note that date on the calendar.  If you have a traditional family party on the 25th, when will you go to the ethnic store and purchase the supplies for that special dessert you always bring? Also note this date on the calendar.

    At the beginning of each week, hold a family council with all the members of your family at which time you review the events for the upcoming week, learn about school assignments, projects and tests (such as the science fair on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening), coordinate rides to and from the varied activities (such as soccer practice), plan the preparation for festivities (such as cookies for the back-to-school night), and get commitments for babysitting (such as when you and your spouse want a date night out).

    At the beginning of the evening meal, quickly review what tomorrow will bring and remind family members of their commitments and responsibilities.  For instance, "George, tomorrow I will be picking you up at school to take you to piano lessons."  "Mary, you will need to make brownies for that party tomorrow.  I will help you after dinner get them baked and all ready to take".  "Frank, what do you want to do about getting enough gas in the car for the weekend drive to the wedding up north?"  The family calendar can act as a prompter to help family activities run smoothly and lessen the stress which can often accompany busy family life.

    Fix the family calendar up at the beginning of the year, review and make detailed plans at the beginning of the month, have a family council and coordinate activities at the beginning of the week, and go over the calendar at dinner time.  You will notice an immediate improvement!

    Find more helpful ideas in the "House of Order" Handbook, Chapter 8, "Time Management".  

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