HomeThis week we're building on last week. Hopefully you had the chance to look at how you were spending time, to discover where you could create a few extra minutes by paying close attention to things like computer usage, the TV and phone.
Even if you have your OWN time figured out, managing your children's time is a whole other issue. How is it possible for a child to spend 15 minutes putting on a pair of shoes, or half an hour brushing teeth and getting ready for bed? These are mysteries - the black holes of time at which most moms can only shake their heads in resignation.
If we're not completely realistic about how long everything takes children, it's almost impossible to stick to a schedule. Think about all the tasks necessary to get out the door in the morning; if you have a deadline, such as getting your child to school or yourself to work, you can't afford to underestimate the length of time that each morning activity requires. All too often, the final minutes tick down with a stressed mom barking orders, kids feeling rushed, and no one happy. This can happen at bedtime as well.
What's the answer? Every situation is different, but here are some possible solutions:
• start morning or bedtime routines 5 or 10 minutes earlier than usual
• give children a reason to hustle ("As soon as you're ready for preschool, we can read a book together," for example)
• make activities into a race - against you, siblings or a timer
• figure out which specific tasks are taking too long, and look for ways to speed these up and be more efficient
Your assignment: Think about one activity or time of day that often causes you to rush everyone. Try to either build in a few extra minutes or find an effective way to streamline things. If you discover that your stress level is improving, or that you're feeling less inclined to yell, you're on the right track!
Ready to take the assignment? Want to talk about this? Click here.
Want to read more from Karen Harvey's M.O.M. Balance column? Click here.
