My Problem:

My kids don’t have a set schedule each day, and therefore, get bored and destructive, don’t like to eat meals, and don’t go to sleep until very late.  Meanwhile, I get frustrated because I can’t get my work done and because I am constantly cleaning up messes. So I decided to institute a schedule.

Why Schedules Are Beneficial:

I held off a long time because I felt that our world is so scheduled that I wanted my children to have a few blissful years of relaxation, free from living by the minute hand of the clock. But after much reading and observing my daughter, who thrives on predictability and habit, I decided a schedule would help son “know what is coming” and help him cope with change and transition, things he does terribly.

A visual schedule also helps me see what events are coming up, make note of what I need to do to get ready, and helps to keep my expectations realistic because I can’t do everything in 24 hours.

My Solution:

I created a magnetic wall calendar to illustrate our daily schedule.  It is full of primary colors older kids can understand (example: green = eating) and arrangeable so I can insert activities where I want. I put it in my kitchen area so the whole family can see it and other care-takers can know the kids’ schedule. Here is how you can make one for your family!

You will need:

Magnetic Wall Calendar How-To:

1. Cut painters tape into 1/4″ wide widths and place on wipe board outlining 8 columns across and 3 rows
2. Paint Popsicle sticks (my color system: white – date & time; orange – kid activities; red – trips & visits; yellow – mommy reminders & appointments; blue – sleeping; green – eating)
3. Stamp or write labels on color-coded Popsicle sticks (my system: white – date& time; orange – TV, crafts, baking; red – halmony’s house, play date, library, church; yellow – shopping, cleaning, bills, laundry; blue – nap & bed time; green – breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack)
4. Cut magnetic tape into 1″ x 1/3″ strips (cut the tape into 1″ pieces and then in half width-wise) and affix on the back of each painted Popsicle stick
5. Hang your magnet board and arrange times, dates, and activities accordingly.

Source: DIY Network

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