Encouragement - Overwhelmed with cleaning & homeschooling

[baileymom]

Have any of you ladies read 'Large Family Logistics,' ...a lot of good common sense advice in there!

Laundry: I recently went from doing laundry every.single.day, to doing it about 4 days a week. The laundry usage was OUT OF CONTROL! Now, I really try and stay on top of the rule: PJs 3 times, bath towels 3 times, pants twice...OR ELSE! I agree with what another Mom said, really only having the clothes that are needed helps. Over the last year, I have really tried to dwindle the amount of clothing each of us have. (a little hard with teenaged daughters) I do all the washing, drying, and most the folding/separating into room piles...youngest daughter sorts, the older children each put their own clothing away...and, even though we do all this...the laundry can still pile up on my bed! (an old post of mine about Laundry: http://6arrows.blogspot.com/2010/01/lar ... undry.html)

Dishwasher: my girls do this (and I help with dinner dishes). It gets loaded and unloaded 3 times a day, immediately after each meal!

Cleaning: this is a family effort. We have a chore list, and stick pretty closely to it. With 9 people in the house, it can get pretty messy, pretty quickly. We do morning, afternoon, and evening chores...so the family room and kitchen are almost always pretty tidy. (Here's a link to our chore list: http://6arrows.blogspot.com/2010/08/new-chores.html ...it's from the end of summer, so I'm sure I've tweaked it a little since then)

Routine: Mangagers of Their Homes...we don't have a schedule broken into 15-30 minutes segments, but we do have a routine with a time on it written down every few hours or so...so that I can see where we need to be in order to make it to dinner.

I could share more, but I'll get back to managing my home for now

HTH!

[Julie in MN]

I don't have a system. My mom suggested the method Christina uses, with a certain day for laundry, but inevitably if I changed the sheets on Monday, one of the kids would wet the bed or throw up on Monday night. I usually just changed as needed

For keeping the house presentable, I just put things on my bed. After I pulled the comforter up over the sheets & pillow, I could set clean laundry on there or whatever. Folks who dropped over didn't see

I also followed my mom's rule and the children should come get their folded laundry whenever asked. That started pretty young for at least the hard-to-stack stuff like socks. If they stopped doing that and the pile fell down and got dirty or whatever, then they would have to do their own laundry from then on (besides undies). Usually happened when they got towards teenagehood

The biggest thing I want to share is that my laundry is almost always folded & put away -- now that my kids are 14-26
In fact, there are several days in a row now when no laundry is staring at me waiting to be done I want to encourage everyone that one day, it will happen!

Here are more ideas, in case one really fits your home:
http://board.mfwbooks.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2471

Julie

[1974girl]

Wow, I feel like I hit the mother load asking this question. You guys have awesome ideas. I am going to do a few of them! I really like the fold 10 things when you walk by. I don't have a delayed start on my washer, but I use it all the time on my dishwasher!

I am intrigued by emealz - do they look like relatively healthy menus? It always seems like we can either eat well, or we can stay on budget - I want to do both!

Some just asked about e-mealz and if they are healthy. You can look at sample menus. They have specialty plans (gluten free, low fat, low carb, weight watchers, etc) I just picked the reg. family plan. I think mine would be too picky for the specialty plans.

I also wanted to say that our chore packs literally clip on the kids. It is those tags that companies use and may have a "hi, my name is...." stuck in them. Anyway....my kids get up, clip on their morning chores...not many because we start school. Then in the afternoon, they clip on their afternoon pack. But what has worked wonders for my 7 year old was literally writing what was expected of her on her cards. (Nothing but jewelry box, picture frame, and one toy allowed on your dresser.) Her idea of clean and my idea of clean were at opposite ends. So when I wrote out what was expected....she is doing awesome! I actually made cleaning her room about 3 separate cards instead of just saying "clean your room". One says to make the bed, one says to clean the floor, and one says to clean the dresser and shut the drawers. (are we the only ones who have drawers that are puking clothes?)

Again, I can't say enough about how this thread has helped..esp with the laundry! I do think we make it hard on ourselves by having too much!

[sojen]

I am intrigued by emealz - do they look like relatively healthy menus? It always seems like we can either eat well, or we can stay on budget - I want to do both!

I did e-mealz for awhile, and it just wasn't healthy enough for us. I totally agree that it seems it can't be both, but I still try. I try, try try to have balance in this area.

When I used e-mealz I often just figured out what was on sale and then tweaked her recipes to be more healthy, but honestly- it didn't really help my budget. I still do this, but with 7daymenuplanner dot com instead. Her menus are free, and seem to me to be a little more healthy. I also use cookinglight dot com for ideas. If you search "budget cooking" on their site you can find ideas for dinners .

I also joined a produce co-op, and yes, it is more than I would spend at the store on the same stuff. But I was always distracted at the store by produce and I would throw way more in my cart than I really needed. Now I get my produce box each week and make a trip to Aldi for most of my other stuff, and I usually end up staying in budget.

Question: where do you have your magnetic boards or white boards for chores and daily routines? I'm trying to figure out the logistics of it all. Obviously, I want it to be at a spot that is highly visual, where it can easily be referred to throughout each and every day so we can update and check it, but at the same time, I don't want it to be the first thing you see when you walk into the kitchen - which is the central spot in our home.

Each kid has their own on the fridge and when they are done with their stuff it gets wiped off. Clean board and they can play!

Except my board has quite a few things on it right now, so I shouldn't be on the message board ...

[1974girl]

I just joined a farm share too! I will just use it with my e-mealz. It is an Amish farm share so everything is organic. And you can't beat home delivery! My DH is type 1 diabetic so we don't have a lot of sweet stuff laying around. Too tempting.

If you will clip their chores to them...it really does help. Put as many cards in there as you want and they just move the front to the back when they are done. You won't even have the white board for everyone to see. Managers of their Chores says the biggest mistake mothers make is not checking chores. How many time have we just said, "Are your chores done?" but never check. I found that when they knew I would be going at a certain time...they did a better job. (Have dad check evening chores for even better results! LOL) So no matter what method you use, clip, chart, whiteboard.....CHECK THEIR CHORES!!!

[mamabear23cubs]

First I liked the comment that I run from the home instead of running it. I feel like that sometimes. Those are the days we enjoy going out in town doing something fun and then returning to 'The House'.

I usually wake up with hubby every morning, if he's before 4 am it dont happen. I start the laundry and finish any dishes that didn't get done the night before and then I exercise. Well I use to exercise, got a bit lazy. After I am ready for the day the kiddos wake up. I have revamped our schedule so they are to make their beds, shower and dress before breakfast. Otherwise they whine and cry and wanna watch TV. (my 6 and 7 year olds) They eat while watching their cartoons. Then we do our morning chores while I work on the laundry (I don't put away-kids and hubby do) and get out my school supplies for the day. Then we school or attempt on those days that every has now and then. When done we have afterschool/afternoon chores to do. Then it's free time, clubs or sports and once a week we have family movie night. Then everyone has their evening chores and off to bed.

I am working on keeping similar meals for the week with variation every now and then. I have done this in the past and it worked out great. Sadly I have gotten into you eat this and we eat that. Not no more, you eat what I prepare or not at all but there is fruit/veggies if you are hungry later or left overs. I also have yogurt as a snack.

I have all three books, Managers Of Their Home, Managers Of Their Chores and Managers Of Their School. I have taken a little bit from all three. Oh and have bits of FlyDay and another that I cannot think of, it was $8 to download.

Deep cleanings is what gets me and I personally hate to dust. We just started doing big cleans once a week instead of oh there is an inch of dust on the baseboard we ought to clean those or those fingerprints on the window got on there when? oh better clean those too. I am now planning on one zone a day. On top of our daily pick ups we (more like me) will focus on section of the house a day. It be the wiping off the dust on the fans and baseboards and washing the windows. That sort of thing. Thankfully everyone is older and we can all pitch in. We are family of five but we are planning to grow within the next three years. We are preparing to adopt a sibling group from an Asian country and they too will be old enough to pitch in once we get settled and I again distribute the chores to everyone.

Sorry if its a little choppy. Trying to type fast since my window of being online is coming to an end. My children are stirring which means time to get some breakfast going.

[cefcdana]

Favorite cleaning supplies?

My favorite cleaning supplies:

My all time favorite if you have tile in your bathroom- Tilex ROOT. Make sure it is Root. Spray all over the shower on a consistent basis. You don't even have to wipe, it will rinse the next time someone showers.

Mirrors- 70% rubbing alcohol using a glass cloth (usually found in the automotive section of a superstore) not to be confused with the microfiber glass cloth. The plain glass cloth works so much better.

Dusting- damp microfiber cloths. love them! when washing, don't use a lot of detergent. hang to dry.

We have an old porcelain tub whose finish is gone, to get up dirt or hard to remove stains, I use barkeeper's friend. excellent and potent.

hope that helps
Dana

[ilovemy4kids]

I just ordered http://www.e-mealz.com for dinner. That is the one of the three that I let slack. I hate cooking. You pick a plan and a store and they will give you a menu according to what is on sale and grocery list. It is $5 a month but they will give you 7 dinners for $75-$85 a week.

We've been doing this for awhile now, and we use the walmart weight watchers points menus! My whole family loves them and we spend sooooo much less than ever before. I do sometimes substitute. For example it called for applesauce in the little single serve sizes, well I bought a big jar for the same money and we used it for a lunch too! Baking mix - I make my own and keep it in a big bucket so when it calls for that, I don't need it.

LOVE EZMEALS!
Sandra

[Jamie]

I need a lot of help in this area myself! But, we are trying to get a chore chart going in our home. I have a "trial" one on the fridge right now. Currently, the three oldest rotate dishes duty so that they each have 2 days/week (With Mom's help). They also rotate hauling wood to the house while we're using the woodstove. If each of them just waits one day to haul their share, then there's a lot less! My 7 yo found that out the hard way.....after she waited a few days!

For laundry, I put a basket in each of the three bedrooms. My two oldest and I rotate our laundry days so that we each have 2 days/week. Each person is in charge of their room's basket (i.e. My basket includes my husband's, mine, & little pickle squirt; my daughter's includes hers & sister's; my son's has his & his little brother's). This has been one thing that has been nice for me. It seems like it's usually not a big deal for me to get them washed & in the dryer, but it's the folding that easily gets behind. So, having them wash, dry, & fold clothes has been a treat! It seems like I still have to remind them quite a bit to change out the laundry & fold it, though.

I also decided to purchase that Motivated Mom's Planner. I've tried it before, and didn't use it like I should. I decided to give it another go. I like the idea of doing bits & pieces of deep cleaning throughout the year, rather than in one big chunk (Although, the "big chunk" doesn't happen around here either! ). So, these are a couple of things we're trying around here......but I'm a HUGE work in progress! I dream of having a very organized and ship-shape home, but I have a long ways to go! Thanks for all the ideas, ladies!

[Teresa in TX]

We've evolved our plan through the years. What used to work doesn't work anymore. What works now will likely stop working in a year or so. I've learned that just like most things, if I grab onto some formula or plan and try to cling to it as THE thing for our family, I am usually sorely disappointed. I used to use MOTH and flylady and have used managers of their chores. I'm finally aware that my older two are much more independent and some of that just doesn't work for us anymore. I've come up with other plans that fit us better. The key, for us, I think is that initially through those new years of homeschooling and learning how to function, I read several books and learned so much through them and through trying out different things. I now have that knowledge like tools in my toolbox. I grab little pieces from them to keep things going...not always perfectly, but to keep them going. Flylady's 15-minute timer is and will always be something I run to. I get so much done when I turn on the timer and we all just get busy and GO!! Our house can honestly go from being turned upside down to being quite presentable (maybe not sparkly, but presentable) in about 30 minutes. I'm working right now on teaching my 5 and 7 yo boys how to do a better job at cleaning, how to take more responsibility, etc. It's not perfect, nor will it ever be, but things get done.

Something that helps me a lot is Donnayoung.org and her kitchen/grocery planning sheets. I print her sheets up for our weekly menu and the grocery list, attach them to my clipboard, and plan. My shopping is so much easier because of this. I also know where everything is on our list based by aisle. Also, I have found a weekly breakfast/lunch menu that we use that just makes things so easy for us. I know what to get every week. I alternate a couple of the things on the list so we won't get thoroughly bored, but stick with a basic plan. Everyone knows pretty much what we're eating each day.

[sewardmom]

Laundry -----
One thing we do that I did not see listed is I decided years ago to try to do one load per day. (Only 4 people in our household.) A load would be started before school officially started and I might rotate the load to the dryer in between subjects or when they were doing book basket.

While I read the read aloud, the children would fold whatever was done and I was right there to instruct them as needed. We have done the read aloud while folding laundry for years and it as worked well for us.

~Terri

[Julie in MN]

I really need to hear how you get it all done….cleaning, school; meals cooked all while dealing with 4 kid’s ages 7, 6, 4, and 2. 2 year old is potty training, 4 year old is seeing how far he can push me, 6 year old has been diagnosed with ADHD and the social worker (a lady through pathways that just works with him one on one in our home weekly) really thinks he has aspergers. We are trying to get him in and get him more testing. And then in the middle of it all my 7 year old who is the oldest and yes he is a boy but the drama in everything.

I feel like I will never get it all done…How do you do it and keep up on it all??? Any and all ideas please!! I have run out of energy and I don’t feel like I’ll ever get it back at this point. I know that when they get older and can help a little more that will help but how do I make it until then??

Hi Samantha,
The thing that I do is to divide my day into school hours and non-school hours, so I can give proper attention to each task. I think in my mind I actually "pretend" that I have left the home and gone to work in a schoolroom during school hours. Then I come "home from work" just like I did when I was a young woman working all day, and I do what I can during my remaining hours -- always setting aside a little bit of time in the evening to be married Which reminds me of one other thing during the busy years with little ones -- having a dh who has certain jobs in the home was been a blessing that made all the difference around here (no one would have wanted my cooking, anyways!).

Here are some more helps:
http://board.mfwbooks.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2471
http://board.mfwbooks.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3671

Julie

[DS4home]

I don't keep up with everything And most of the time it is OK, but when there is company I have to hunker down and clean

I do a load of laundry every day, once in a while two get done. I start a load in the morning and most days I don't get back to switch it to the dryer until the kids are in bed. The next morning I put a load in the washer. At night I try to put it in the dryer and find it full of yesterday's clean load So, I pull it out, put the wet clothes in, and fold the dry clothes while kids are brushing teeth, etc., or after tuck ins are done with the kids. That's my load a day way of keeping up with laundry.

I have tried many methods of meal planning over the years. It's been a work in progress... What I have finally had the most success with is this: I have a spiral notebook that I have pre-planned my menus out for a month or more, with our favorites repeated some - so they are not all new recipes for that length of time.

The first page is week 1 menus.
The second page lists all the ingredients needed for those specific recipes.
Page three is week 2 menus,
followed by a page of ingredients for those recipes.
Going on and on as far as you desire, mine started with a months worth. I shop with my ingredients list for the week on the weekend so I'm ready for the next week ahead. Every month I just repeat the same 4 weeks worth of meal plans. Once I set it up I never have to plan a meal again. I just look at my notebook, pull out the ingredients and cook. This has saved me more times than I can count

I have always had a dry erase board hanging near a calendar that I keep a running weekly list of activities and appointments. I see it multiple times a day so I can keep alert to drop off and pick up times for the kids activities.

These have been some of my successful methods of keeping up in some ways. Cleaning will always be harder for me and school is a whole other subject on how to get that all done! I'll let others help with that subject. It's been long time since mine were all that young!

- Dawn

[TriciaMR]

Besides having the kids pick up their toys and their rooms at the end of the day, dishes, and laundry... Well, house work doesn't happen until Saturday

But, the kids do have chores:

1. Make their beds
2. Boys each clean a bathroom (means wipe down the sink and the toilet with a Clorox wipe - my boys are 7)
3. My dd shifts the laundry (my dh starts it when he leaves for work, so it is usually ready to be shifted to the dryer just before we start school for the day)
4. Each kid has to help with a meal.
5. I expect them to take their dishes to the sink (and at some meals put them in the dishwasher)

I think getting the kids to help is a big one. I need to work more on that. My brother does a good job with that...

-Trish

[alisoncooks]

You've got a lot going on! I personally think that sometimes in our lives, when our mother role is where we're needed the most...then the housekeeper/cook role can step down a little. Nothing wrong with PB&J for lunch...every day, if it helps. (For a while, at least. )

Here are a few things I *try* to do:
*Though take this with a grain of salt b/c a super-tidy house isn't my goal...functional, yes.*
*Disclaimer #2: I'll fess up to having eating junk/take-out nearly every day this week...weeks like that happen!*

1. Cleaning checklist: I keep it in a mini-binder (cause they're so cute & I wanted one ) along with my meal-planning lists/menus. Each day gets an area of the house to deep clean. I listed 5-6 things to do per area (complete with lil' boxes to check off...which I find really handy and motivating!). So Monday = bathrooms (and my checklist boxes are things like clean toilets, wipe off counters, spray/wipe shower, empty trash cans, new towels up). Common sense things, right? But now I have them scheduled, instead of forgetting to do them and then scrambling when I have company coming over! Plus, splitting up the house/big picture means that at the end of 30 or so minutes, I have a part of the house that is totally clean and presentable (kind of symbolic, like Flylady's kitchen sink thing.) Also, if I miss a day, I have the checklist to go back and see what are the most pressing items to check off....wiping the bathroom mirrors? Not pressing. Making sure there's toilet paper in there? Pressing!

2. Meal-planning: WHEN I DO IT (this is my weak spot) I do it in 2 weeks chunks, and I stick with a pre-assigned template: beef on Monday, veggie on Tuesday, chicken on Wednesday, breakfast for dinner on Thursday, etc....then I just chose between a few family favorites and there's wiggle room.
I do best when I have a plan for lunch, even though it's just me and the kids...if not I end up grabbing something at the diner on the corner.

3. I keep a dry erase board on the fridge....or else I remember NOTHING. I make note of appt. and plans...I use a section to make note when a food staple runs out (or I'll never remember to pick up that blasted ketchup!)

4. Timed tidies: got a moment during the day when you look around the house and the sheer craziness/clutter just seems overwhelming and you HAVE to do something? I do timed tidies: set your kitchen timer to 2-3 minutes and do as much as you can in a given room. Timer stops, you stop. No worries. My lil' girls love this "game" . So, all toys go to their rooms and living room is a little more manageable. Sometimes we do 1 room, sometimes more. Look around: house is much better! (This is a "stuff and fluff" tidy, not a deep clean.)

**I tried to upload my cleaning checklist and meal-planning list, I took a screen shot which I then uploaded to photobucket.
The cleaning items are GOALS. I don't beat myself up if the shower curtain doesn't get washed or the baseboards ignored.
Plus, I tried to list things that --otherwise-- don't get done (wash the dog food bowl, really?!)
I also put my bigger projects (kitchen & bathrooms) at the beginning of the week when I have more momentum.

[Fly2Peace]

How do you keep up on school AND house work? You mean I am supposed to?

Seriously, I also work, more than one job right now. One that came about when Mom went in the hospital last November, and has continued since her passing in January. It paid her a little, but so far I haven't done that. (She did payroll, so I am doing that, and well....) It is for Dad's business. The other however, it pays. IF the second job paid I would seriously consider hiring someone to help. Or maybe I need to consider that I may not be able to keep this up, and see about hiring someone to do that. I don't know. But, sometimes I do think maybe I can't keep this up. I am tired.

Sorry, no help whatsoever. Oh, and to top it off, we are bringing Mom's things into my house by the carload for me to go through and keep, give or trash. SO, my living room is full of STUFF in process most of the time.

Meals, well, I did great for a while after Mom's passing. Dad was coming over for meals too, and bringing his laundry along. But, since it has gotten so HOT (record temps in Kansas this summer, for example it is 97 here and it isn't even 9AM yet!), I have struggled with meals. I can do it when I can put things in the oven, but am a mess when I don't want to use the oven in these hot days. So, help with that anyone?

OK, I have two daughters. One 13, one 8. They have chores. They do them randomly. For example, when I do laundry I wash, dry, hang and fold, and they are to put away all folded and their own hanging. But, they let the clean folded pile up until it is a precarious tower, and sometimes until it is a falling tower before they do their part. I am to blame. I know. I just don't want to have to constantly nag, and I am busy keeping several plates spinning already. When I try to keep an eye on their spinning plates one of mine gets broken...

Kind of like if school is going well, houseword doesn't get done. If job is going well, school is not so much... Is that an indication I have too many plates spinning, or am not organized enough, or...

Well, alright, this is kind of depressing to read, and is NO help whatsoever, except maybe to say you are not alone! I know some of you are thinking what a mess, why can't she handle it, etc. All I can say is at this point I am doing the best I know how... and realize it is not what it should be.

[Mallorie]

The biggest help to me has been to gradually purge the things that I do not want or need. I've gotten rid of a lot of things, and I am intentional about not bringing more in. We also have a small house, so the more stuff I have in it, or cluttered it gets, the worse it looks.

My husbands work philosophy transferred well at home too: A place for everything and everything in its place. Teach the kids young that if they get it out, they put it away. You can have a "power hour" during the day, where you clean as much as fast as you can, then be done. My friend does that once a week. Or a basket for every child, toss their things in there, they put them away. Your olders can help your youngers.

Food, when you make a meal, make a double portion of it, one for that night, one for another. That will build your stash of available meals for those days when you're harried or just tired. Spend an afternoon putting meals into the freezer.

It's a process. Start with one thing, then move to another until a routine happens. If you have anyone around to help, ask. Whether they help you cook or clean or play with the kids while you do, that's such a blessing.

[HeyChelle]

Short answer: Get on my knees and pray, crying out to God and begging him for help.

Keeping up with everything is a major struggle for me, but it is getting better as the kids get a little older. My youngest is 3, so I no longer technically have a baby in the house. Plus I have purged a LOT. Still have more purging/decluttering to go. And a few things have been handed over to the kids for them to take ownership of.

Here is how I schedule. I love motivated moms.
http://mybluedaisy.blogspot.com/2011/04 ... ng-my.html

[mlhom4him]

Samantha, you are not alone! I know you know that but sometimes it helps to read it again and hear it again!

Just a few things that come to my mind right off the bat:

(1) Give each of your children 3 things to do each morning and 3 things to do each evening that are age appropriate as this will begin to teach them to help.

For me these usually include: AM - (1) make bed and/or put your blanket, pillow and sleeping lovie on your bed along with your pj's (2) change your clothes and (3) eat breakfast and put your dishes __________ (wherever is appropriate in your home for us it is straight into the dishwasher unless there is food stuck to the dishes). As the kids get older you can combine many of these tasks and add on ones like: put a load of laundry in, load or unload the dishwasher depending on when you do the dishes, do a quiet time, vaccuum a room, pick up the bathroom, etc.

PM - (1) change clothes and put dirty clothes where dirty clothes belong (2) brush teeth, wash face, etc. and (3) lay out clothes for tomorrow

When those are a habit you can add in 3 more for either before lunch OR before Daddy comes home and so on. This will teach your children how to work as a team.

(2) I do (or at least I try hard) ONE load of laundry a day. I put it in first thing when I come downstairs as my coffee is brewing. It is usually ready to be flipped after breakfast. My 6 1/2 yo usually flips it to the dryer for me and turns it on. Depending on what is in it, she usually takes it out of the dryer around lunch time OR we work on it together as soon as the beeper goes off so that the clothes do not get all wrinkly. This is usually a good break for her after doing her first session of school.

(3) Someone else mentioned this but remember easy, easy, easy lunches. Ones that your 7 and 6 and even the 4 yo can help with. An older woman at my church had 7 under 6 when her kiddos were younger and she gave me this great hint: Paper plates! Yep! Paper plates! Get the cheap ones. The kids can easily throw out their plates and clean up after lunch this way.

(4) Mandatory quiet time for 30 to 45 minutes at some point soon after lunch. That same woman shared that with me. All kids on their bed quiet and either napping or looking at a kids Bible. During this time, you get to spend time with a cup of tea with your BF - Jesus! Read a few verses and just sit with some worship music playing. You will be surprised how much that will help you (and your kids) AND BLESS THE SOCKS off of your hubby!

(5) Set a time when school closes for the day! This allows you to focus on other things! It is also good for your kiddos to allow the school concepts to "gel".

(6) Someone else mentioned this ....... PURGE! Broken toys, soiled clothes that are not worn, etc. Get rid of them so that you have less to manage and your kids can better help clean them up. This goes for your clothes and things as well.

(7) Make a list of three things for you to do every morning when you get up.....wash your face/brush teeth, check your calendar, etc. and then three things to do every night......wash your face/brush your teeth, plan your clothes for the next day, check your calendar for the next day, spend time with your hubby just being!

(8) Teach your children to use a timer! We found ones at the Dollar store. We play beat the clock for many things. This helps me and them learn that many of the tasks that we put off don't take as long as we thing.

(9) Enjoy your kiddos! Find time everyday to play with them, love them, squeeze them, hug them, etc.

(10) Think about why you are homeschooling.......is it to instill a great love for the Lord or to pound head knowledge into them? Anything that is NOT pouring into why you are homeschooling can be dumped no matter how great the activity is! It is okay!

These were my thoughts and I really pray that they do not overwhelm you! Have a great day......

In Him!
Mary Lou

[rebeccal2002]

Short answer: Get on my knees and pray, crying out to God and begging him for help.

I would love to have the answer to your question. It is a constant struggle. We have schedules, chores, I sometimes fall back on the flylady way of doing things (flylady.net). But there really is no end to the constant flow of housework. So I pray for peace, that I won't let it drive me crazy, for my family's cooperation and understanding that the house isn't perfect and neither am I. This is a short season in my life and one day, when the kids are grown and gone, I will miss having to step over 30 things on the way to the bathroom.

Hugs to you and all the things you have going on in your family right now. Try to get as organized as you can, but realize that you'll never get it perfectly done every day.

You've received really good practical advice on the subject already, just wanted to offer encouragement, that you are not alone in this daily struggle.

[alisoncooks]

(3)...An older woman at my church had 7 under 6 when her kiddos were younger and she gave me this great hint: Paper plates! Yep! Paper plates! Get the cheap ones. The kids can easily throw out their plates and clean up after lunch this way.

(4) Mandatory quiet time for 30 to 45 minutes at some point soon after lunch. That same woman shared that with me. All kids on their bed quiet and either napping or looking at a kids Bible. During this time, you get to spend time with a cup of tea with your BF - Jesus! Read a few verses and just sit with some worship music playing. You will be surprised how much that will help you (and your kids) AND BLESS THE SOCKS off of your hubby!

(6) Someone else mentioned this ....... PURGE! Broken toys, soiled clothes that are not worn, etc. Get rid of them so that you have less to manage and your kids can better help clean them up. This goes for your clothes and things as well.

Thanks for sharing these!
We do #3 and 6....#4 is going to be part of our school day and I'm looking forward to it! Hooray for quiet time!

[robertb10502]

Thank you all for sharing what helps you. It has all been very helpful. I am going to have to start Mandatory quiet time everyday. I have them watch a movie once a week or so but that really isn't that helpful. I really like the idea of them sitting in bed with a Bible. I have been talking about chorse so I think it's time we talk about what they can do and start that. I also think I might need to get some paper plates. That would help a lot. I could sit here all day and go through what ideas I like and I am going to try but I will save you from that Thank you and for your help and if anybody else has anything to add please do.

[Smoakhouse]

This is a Great post! This is something we all struggle with. I found myself looking for the "like" button while reading several of the post!
I will be re-reading and making notes to implement in our house. Several of them I already do. Yay! Some I only do myself and I need to be better about getting my kids to help. After all Mom won't always be there to pick up after them. (My oldest goes to college in 1 week!)

[1974girl]

Love reading this thread!

I did learn a few things from purchasing chore packs.
1) You can't expect what you don't INSPECT. Take 2 seconds to make sure they did their room correctly. When they know you are coming...the do so much better.
2) Outline on paper (cliped to them in case of chore packs) what you really want. Instead of saying "clean your room".....say "clean your dresser and only this and this is allowed to stay on it." It will be done the way you want!
3) We eat out wayyy too much because I make homeschooling and cleaning the priority. Usually if you can do all 3....one is lacking. So my dh told me if I'd cook more at home then he'd clean the kitchen. He couldn't understand why I hate it so bad and I told him it is because he gets up...goes to the computer and I am left with the whole mess. It is a chore to me! So he has been doing that and we have been eating great!
4) Meal plans like someone mentioned are great. I use http://www.e-mealz.com and it is worth $5 a month. I don't clip coupons (I tried but it was another chore! LOL) So they plan out your meals by whats on sale at your local store! LOVE LOVE LOVE it.
5)Paper plates are life-savers. Someone mentioned that already but I'll second that. My "green" friends say I am destroying the planet but I might spare a piece of it for a piece of my sanity. If you don't want to do that, have a plate and cup per person per day. They have to clean it after every meal.

[samandsawyersmom]

Hello!
Talk about a problem that I am sure we all have! I just do the best I can and accept the rest. My sister in law has a sign in her house that says "Please excuse the noise and the mess. My children are busy making memories!" I totally LOVE that sign!!!! So true!!!

I even have a business in my house that people are coming into the house so we try to keep it picked up at least!

Just always thank God for what you can do!! That is all the advise I can give you!