A Summer Planning Essentials
Freebies included
Each summer I set my sights high. We are going to spend more time laughing than fighting, I won’t have to remind people to pick up their shoes or load their dishes, and now that the kids are older they will just naturally see what needs to be done and proactively do it.
But also each summer, my sweet husband warns that I am being unrealistic, and I need to lower my expectations. Because we are all just human.
✏️ So this summer, together, my Bob and I strategized a new plan and brought back the chore chart. It only has the essentials, but it contains space for us to tailor fit what our priorities are, adapt for the kids work and volunteer schedules, and still make the expectations clear (and hopefully more realistic).
We filled ours in to include each child taking turns making dinner one night a week, and listed weekly family chores as well as other ways to help (would someone please take those dogs for a walk!)👇🏼
🕰️ Now that our children are older and managing their own schedules, we don’t do a master weekly calendar (see below), but in the past that was a sanity saver for our family. It was wonderful for the children to know what day was set aside for the library, which was movie day, and when we could expect to go to Costco again.
The daily routine was also something we tried to keep. It was also very helpful with the younger members of the family to see that they could earn their screen time each day, that quiet time was expected even if you think you didn’t need a nap, and that no, I was not going to store today just because your favorite cereal was gone.
My initial schedules were done in the pre-digital age with markers on butcher paper, but I put together a mock up below, followed by an empty printable one for you.
My fake summer 👇🏼at a glance just to give you an idea:
Here is a huge disclaimer however.
We didn’t hold the schedule to be sacred.
Part of what make the summer so much fun is the ability to adapt, be flexible, and go with the flow. Without a summer schedule however I would go a little insane. I need something on paper from which to deviate. In general children find routine and schedules to be very comforting. When you have more than one or two children, having a written schedule helps make sure everyone is getting a chance to do something and things are just a bit more fair than perhaps they would otherwise be. It also give you a chance to build in a pause in your day to pray or read and simply take a deep breath.
My encouragement to you - print the chore chart above and schedule below and create your own little ideal week. Add in some variety and things that are special to your family and adjust from there. Good luck and may God keep you all safe this summer!
❤️ Dr. Mary Ruth
PS- Make sure you are taking a few minutes each day in the morning to pray and offer your day and those little sufferings to the Lord. If you can build in a little reflection time each day, consider giving Daughter by Design a try this summer. It is written with busy moms in mind, short prompts for reflection, and spaces to journal in the book.
PPS- As you fill out your plans, consider registering for the Spiritual Warfare in the Family Summit. It is a 3-day virtual summit with a whole load of amazing speakers (yes, me too) on a truly important topic. It will be live July 23-25 but for a small donation you can have extended access. Lots of options are available to help meet the needs of the family!