Routines - A Key to Peace and Productivity With Your Children
Ginger is a loving and caring mom.
Her kids are the light of her life.
Yet, she used to wonder if life might have been better if she had not had children.
She especially thought about this in the mornings when her two children, Julie 9 and Ethan 7 were getting ready for school.
No matter how hard she tried, it seemed the morning scene was chaotic - always searching for backpacks, nagging to get ready, gulping down breakfast, leaving their rooms a mess and out the door after the usual pestering, and yelling, "Hurry up.
You're going to be late.
" This happened so much, it became the way life is.
Ginger felt the only way to get her children to move faster was to yell louder.
She hated being a nag, but she did not know what else to do.
The day Julie was late, one more time, because she was stressing over what to wear to school, was a turning point.
At her wit's end, Ginger blurted out, "That's it! From now on, you are going to lay your clothes out the night before.
I will not go through this another day!" That night, after dinner, Ginger and Julie went to Julie's room and put together what Julie was going to wear the next day.
They hung her outfit, including her socks, shoes and underwear on the back of Julie's door.
Her daughter wasn't too happy, but went along with it.
The next morning was a little smoother.
Julie and Ethan were out the door, on time, with a little less stress.
But Ginger still had to do a lot of nagging, which she did not like at all.
Ginger felt her kids needed to learn to be responsible for themselves.
She had seen and heard about parents who used "Gold Star" charts and rewarded their kids with money or presents for doing things like brushing their teeth consistently, getting their homework done every day, and doing their chores on time.
Ginger liked the idea of a chart, but did not like the idea of paying her children for doing things they needed be doing.
She felt it would teach them they should be paid for everything, which could set a bad precedent.
What to do? She wondered if just making a chart would be enough.
Did she really have to bribe her children to get them to do the basics like brushing their teeth? Ginger decided to try making a fun "Get Ready Chart" and see what happened.
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," she told herself.
That night Ginger explained to Julie and Ethan that she felt they were big enough and responsible enough to get ready for school without her constant reminders.
She told them, "Sometimes it's hard to remember everything they needed to do", so she wanted to make a chart to help them remember and needed their help in choosing what should go on it.
They all three had fun working together.
When it was finished, it only had what they needed to do to get ready for school in the morning, along with a place for them to check off when it was done.
They all three walked over and put it on the kitchen table, ready for the next day.
Ginger was prepared for a rocky start, but she was happily surprised when Julie and Ethan bounded into the room the next morning.
They were excited about checking off what they had done.
It took time, and energy for Ginger to help put together the list, help Julie lay out her clothes, and be ready for them when it was time for breakfast.
But, it was all worth it when, for the first time she could remember, Ginger sat down and ate a peaceful breakfast with her children.
Instead of being stressed, Julie and Ethan calmly walked out the door, on time, with a smile on their face.
To Ginger's delight, it did not end there.
It turned out, Julie and Ethan really enjoyed being responsible for themselves.
They even started printing out the charts each week.
The most surprising part of all, was how ultra-simple it all was once she got started.
Ginger doesn't wonder about life without children any more, she loves being a mom!
Her kids are the light of her life.
Yet, she used to wonder if life might have been better if she had not had children.
She especially thought about this in the mornings when her two children, Julie 9 and Ethan 7 were getting ready for school.
No matter how hard she tried, it seemed the morning scene was chaotic - always searching for backpacks, nagging to get ready, gulping down breakfast, leaving their rooms a mess and out the door after the usual pestering, and yelling, "Hurry up.
You're going to be late.
" This happened so much, it became the way life is.
Ginger felt the only way to get her children to move faster was to yell louder.
She hated being a nag, but she did not know what else to do.
The day Julie was late, one more time, because she was stressing over what to wear to school, was a turning point.
At her wit's end, Ginger blurted out, "That's it! From now on, you are going to lay your clothes out the night before.
I will not go through this another day!" That night, after dinner, Ginger and Julie went to Julie's room and put together what Julie was going to wear the next day.
They hung her outfit, including her socks, shoes and underwear on the back of Julie's door.
Her daughter wasn't too happy, but went along with it.
The next morning was a little smoother.
Julie and Ethan were out the door, on time, with a little less stress.
But Ginger still had to do a lot of nagging, which she did not like at all.
Ginger felt her kids needed to learn to be responsible for themselves.
She had seen and heard about parents who used "Gold Star" charts and rewarded their kids with money or presents for doing things like brushing their teeth consistently, getting their homework done every day, and doing their chores on time.
Ginger liked the idea of a chart, but did not like the idea of paying her children for doing things they needed be doing.
She felt it would teach them they should be paid for everything, which could set a bad precedent.
What to do? She wondered if just making a chart would be enough.
Did she really have to bribe her children to get them to do the basics like brushing their teeth? Ginger decided to try making a fun "Get Ready Chart" and see what happened.
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," she told herself.
That night Ginger explained to Julie and Ethan that she felt they were big enough and responsible enough to get ready for school without her constant reminders.
She told them, "Sometimes it's hard to remember everything they needed to do", so she wanted to make a chart to help them remember and needed their help in choosing what should go on it.
They all three had fun working together.
When it was finished, it only had what they needed to do to get ready for school in the morning, along with a place for them to check off when it was done.
They all three walked over and put it on the kitchen table, ready for the next day.
Ginger was prepared for a rocky start, but she was happily surprised when Julie and Ethan bounded into the room the next morning.
They were excited about checking off what they had done.
It took time, and energy for Ginger to help put together the list, help Julie lay out her clothes, and be ready for them when it was time for breakfast.
But, it was all worth it when, for the first time she could remember, Ginger sat down and ate a peaceful breakfast with her children.
Instead of being stressed, Julie and Ethan calmly walked out the door, on time, with a smile on their face.
To Ginger's delight, it did not end there.
It turned out, Julie and Ethan really enjoyed being responsible for themselves.
They even started printing out the charts each week.
The most surprising part of all, was how ultra-simple it all was once she got started.
Ginger doesn't wonder about life without children any more, she loves being a mom!
