Keeping this house on time and organised is hard work, our schedule is jam packed, I have a personal diary which is my life saver, without this little book I really wouldn't know what we are meant to be doing on a day to day basis. We have a white board ruled out for 2 weeks with everything in blue that doesn't really change much e.g. kids sport training sessions and ballet times. In the red are appointments and sport game times, so at a quick glance as you're passing by the red catches your eye for a quick reminder.
Lots of people ask "how do you do it? Working and 5 kids?"
Let me start by saying it really is a team effort, the kids know that they have to go to school everyday and their routine for the start and end of the day, (usually constant reminders for the boys). It does get a lot easier once the kids can dress themselves. Having the clothes out on the end of the bed the night before helps too.
When the kids where younger I used a picture chart in their room on what clothes to put on first, and one on the fridge for breakfast and getting ready. I found this helped alot.
A quick rundown of my week
Monday - Cleaning day. By Monday morning the house is a bomb site, there are dishes everywhere, clothes to be washed beds to be stripped and remade, so for the best part of this day I'm cleaning! we might get to the park if the babies are lucky. In the afternoon my 9 year old has scouts, in this hour and a half of being 1 down and babies in bed, I make 30 or so school lunches ready to freeze. (ham, ham and cheese, roast meat, fritz and sauce etc) with the help of Miss Moo of course. It really is a production line.
Tuesday - Miss 2 has ballet in the AM, the afternoon Miss Moo has ballet and Mr 9 has basketball training at the same time in different places, it's a juggling act alright!
Wednesday - I used to work this day but have decided that it's costing me more to have the babies in care than it is me working. So for the morning now is usually filled with appts, shopping and cleaning again.
Thursday - PAY DAY yay! Morning we are paying bills and usually food shopping, in the afternoon the boys have basketball games again at different times, but this time in the same place. Usually Mr 9 has a game after school and Mr 13's game is at some ridiculous time at 5.30pm. So the poor babies are stuck in the car from 3pm then in the pusher till at least 6pm. (snacks are a MUST)!! Then if hubby and I arn't exhausted enough we go late night shopping as a family.
Friday - I'm Working, out of the house by 8am (id like 7.45am but that never happens) drop the older kids at before school care, babies off at childcare, then drive to work! Work till 5pm sometimes later, drive home, pick kids up from after school care and babies from childcare, cook dinner, feed kids, bath and bed. Few is that the week finished, noooo there is more!
Saturday- I work this day too. It's an all day shift, so hubby is home alone with 5 kids sometimes 6. He drives the kids around to their sport all day and carts the babies here there and everywhere.
We cook dinner together, clean up together and chat while we are doing it. This is our alone time, humm fun! (on the odd occasion we do get to have date night)
Sunday - Day of cleaning once again, kids everywhere, usually we try to do something with the kids, skate park, park for the babies, the beach or just out the back cleaning up and watching the kids play. (most of the time cleaning doesn't get done and why Monday cleaning is important)
And in between all that there are play dates and other kids birthday parties to go to, appointments for myself and or the kids! I really wish I had enough time to go to the school and do reading or take the babies to the park more often, or join a play group for miss 2, or catch up with friends or even see family! ( I miss my friends and my family! And a dishwasher!)
But this is why we have family and kids, if we didn't love running around after them like headless chooks we wouldn't do it. I love doing all this for my kids and I know one day, they will appreciate it all.
Well, in a nut shell that's how we do it in our house!
