7 Ways to Efficiently Manage Your Family's Schedule

Are you looking for ways to help you and your significant other stay on top of your family's schedule? Managing your family's schedule can be made easier with these tips! 

Choose a Time to Plan

Consistency is key when managing your family's schedule! Choose a time every week or month to fill out your calendar. Research has shown that when you schedule a task, you double or triple your chances of accomplishing it. You can also take this time to schedule reminders on your phone, create Google Calendar events, or make any additional plans. 

Have a Family Meeting

In addition to filling out the calendar, be sure to schedule a regular review with your significant other and/or your family so that everyone is on the same page. Try meeting with your spouse first so that you are on the same page before involving the other members of your family.

Then, start having a once a once-a-month or once-a-week meeting to communicate about family expectations, wants, or needs to help your family get better in sync! 

This also gives children the opportunity to voice their opinions and feel like their voice matters. Talk about issues that need to be solved and ask your kids what ideas they have to solve them. When people (including kids) are given space to provide ideas and input they become more invested in actually solving the issue.

What if their solutions are bad ideas? It depends on how bad of an idea it is. If it's a low-impact, low-risk solution, you might try it to help your kid learn from the results. If the idea goes against family values, is a safety concern, or is otherwise detrimental, you can offer guidance to help them think through the decision. You can point out the positive parts and emphasize how their idea helps spark other ideas that are better solutions.

This meeting is a great place to facilitate discussion about a variety of topics, not just scheduling. It can be a time for an emotional check-in, opportunities for teaching or reviewing family values, and expressing love and appreciation for each family member. 

Color Coding

Did you know that using colors improves memory? There's a variety of ways you could color code your calendar: by person, by event, or by family member, etc. Color coding also helps the brain take in information and process it quickly. So, double win! You can let your kids choose which color they would like to have, which will help them feel more invested and want to check the calendar for their special color. 

Make it Fun

"In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and - snap! - the job's a game!" - Mary Poppins. 

Everyone knows when you make things fun, kids (and honestly, adults, too) are quick to get it done and to do it happily. Family schedules are the same way; when you make something colorful or exciting, people pay attention to it and engage more than they otherwise would.

Before we used board stickies the only thing my kids were excited about in helping me fill out the calendar was erasing and putting the number magnets in the right places.

But now? They look forward to what random holidays we have (and excitedly give ideas on how we're going to celebrate them) and help fill in their face stickies and corresponding schedule and sports stickies. My 7-year-old specifically is very adamant about making sure the "Today Is" stickie is in the right place.

The funniest part is if I'm a little late filling out my calendar for the month they all keep asking when we're going to erase it and fill it in! It's a great way to keep me accountable, too!

Making it fun and involving my kids helps get us (and keep us) organized! It keeps us from forgetting things and keeps me from having to nag them about getting ready for certain extracurriculars after school, or the dreaded "Whaaaaaaaa - we're doing that today?! Do we HAVE to go?" I don't deal with that anymore because they helped me fill out the calendar so they know the expectation and it doesn't create a last-minute surprise. 

Create Ownership

Along with color-coding, using our custom face stickies helps family members easily see what's relevant to them. Additionally, they can manage their expectations of what needs to happen, when it needs to happen, and where it needs to happen. This helps the adults who are usually the "keepers of the family schedule" avoid having to remind and nag about the schedule. The mental load is shared by the family as a whole, instead of resting on one person's shoulders.

Say No

This is the "simplest" tip, but sometimes the hardest to do. You don't have to accept every invitation or sign your kid up for every sport. Say no to events that are spreading you thin because chances are, your kids might be feeling overscheduled, too. We mean it when we say nobody likes a calendar filled to the brim. It is ok to say no and realize when you are overextending yourself.

Tips for Toddlers and Early Readers

You might think that small children won't benefit from a family calendar, especially if they don't understand the days of the week, a calendar grid, or know how to read. I'm here to tell you that they still can benefit!

3 of my 4 children are early readers or simply can't read. We use reusable stickies to make a visual schedule for kids and it has been a complete game-changer. My 2-year-old can know what we're doing for the day by using our All About Today stickie set. The day is marked by a special "Today is" stickie - and he knows and recognizes that the sticky marks what we are doing that day.

The biggest change came when we introduced face stickies to our family calendar; it made both my 4-year-old and 2-year-old jump with excitement when they saw their faces on our family calendar! I simply pair their face with a schedule or sports stickie (like gymnastics) - and they immediately know what that means. They get the most excited when they see a "playdate" stickie next to their faces! It's been an awesome experience seeing them not only get excited about the day and the week but also learn in a fun way how to read and use a calendar. This is also teaching them foundational skills and establishing the habit of using a calendar as they grow older and take more responsibility for their schedules.