Podcast 251

In this episode,  Easy Way Planning, Felice discusses a system she recently began using to plan her day, her week, her month, and her year. And, it really works well. Taking a simple approach to planning helps keep the family and life in general organized. Add a journal and you are all set to a wonderful method of keeping life straight. Even in those times when nothing seems to go right.

Show Notes:

Planning is a tool we use to feel a sense of accomplishment. Many times our days consist of putting out fires and getting the kids fed and dressed! And sometimes we just settle for fed. Accidents happen, plans change and often we feel frazzled. I learned several secrets during my years of homeschooling and working from my home. I learned that if I put it on a list, even if I never looked at that list again, I remembered it. I also learned some of the things below:

Pray daily

Bible reading

Time to listen to God

Podcast: A few minutes with God podcast (*wink—I host this podcast!)

Goals:

Spiritual/character

Specific academic goals

Assign chores

Subjects for the week

Reading/ writing assignments

projects

Special events/field trips

Check off lists filled out daily

Weekly menu

Grocery shopping

Cleaning schedule

Errands

washing/ folding clothes  schedule

You can do this for the year – start big and scale down – to monthly, then weekly and then daily.

There are things we need to do each day, depending on your season in life … with little ones your days are pretty much tied to their schedule, what their needs are like eating, changing and naps. As the children get older they become more independent (if you help them to be independent) and can do more on their own, without so much concentrated help.

The four areas that may be in a 4-Square Page — a homeschool family will always be: Faith, Kids, School and Household.

When planning I was sure to bundle activities. One day for errands and field trips. That was it. I was always tempted to run to the store for one thing or another, but I learned that if I did this I would lose precious time of homeschooling.

Just quickly – I wanted to hit more on journaling but will need to cover this further in another podcast. One thing to remember about daily journaling, it helps you take a snapshot look at your day and assess what went well and what you’d like to change it will help you pinpoint what needs to happen in the future. I didn’t like journaling at night – it got me thinking and then it was difficult to sleep – so I would journal in the morning.

Podcasts for journaling that are faith-related:

A. Answered prayer through journaling

B. Journal How-To

However, you use this planner I pray that you relax and use this time to enjoy your children. I had two children, a space of twelve years before I had the next three. So, basically, I had two families with the same husband! I got a “do over!” I could improve my homeschool methods over the first two, I could change and do some of the things I had hoped to do but never accomplished with the older ones as well. This planner is a reflection of some of the changes I implemented. I’m sure you can add your own as well. Happy “easy way” planning!

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