Schedules

{Yesterday, after school -- at the newly deemed "homework table" in the dining room.}

As the kids get older, I find that our schedules are busier than ever.  With track starting up for Ethan, and running club for Grace, not to mention drop off and pick up for Alex at preschool, I feel like each day is a dizzying array of trying to keep things straight with who goes where.  Yesterday, I made the executive decision to switch things up around the house for our DAILY schedule to help with my sanity and to keep the kids from slacking off with their basic responsibilities.  Instead of having screen time right when they get home (with play time and chores happening afterwards), I am now enforcing homework time right away (when they have it -- which is not always) followed by play and finishing up with chores before dinner.  THEN -- if they've gotten chores and homework done -- they can have screen time after dinner while Scott and I are trying to get the little ones in bed.  And yes, I am assuming that Jane will be in that category of little ones needing to go to bed without any screen time, because she probably won't do her chores.  Hahaha.  In my book this is a win-win-win situation.  Chores will hopefully be done, homework won't be saved until the last minute, and screens will help to keep the older 3 occupied and out of our hair while trying to put the younger half in bed.

Yesterday was Day 1 of this new schedule, and it went over amazingly well.  Today -- not so much.  At least not for son number one.  He is adamantly opposed to the whole plan, and threw a bit of a temper tantrum this afternoon when I insisted on enforcing things.  I'm pretty sure it was the tiredness and hunger talking for him, but I know how resistant he is to change.  I'm hoping that by the end of the week we'll have made some headway and everyone will have adjusted to the new schedule.  Hashtag fingers crossed!  Hahahaha.  :)