Making Things Work in a Busy Home

Here are some things that have helped me. Prioritize. Don't sweat the small stuff! Try to spend 10 minutes on each thing and then move on so that nothing gets too far behind. Deal with mail as soon as it arrives so you don't have to look at it more than once. Process food into portion sizes when it arrives and freeze it. Set alarms to tell you when to stop cleaning, when to move the laundry, etc. Stop every 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours and spend time doing something with the children. (Talking to them, listening to a song, play a hand of rummy, read them a poem you wrote, or a joke you heard.) Have a special place to leave the children notes of encouragement. "Thank you for taking the recycling to the curb. Love, Mom" "Thank you for vacuuming the living room. I appreciate it! Love, Mom" "When you get a chance the light over my exercise bike is burned out and needs a new bulb. Thanks, Mom." Listen to Alexander Scourby reading the Bible on CD while you fix meals or do the bills. Keep note cards by the phone, so that when you get a call that someone is sick or had a death in the family, you can stop and write a note right then. Put a 50 foot tube on your breathing machine so you can go anywhere in the house while doing your breathing treatments. Use styrofoam plates, bowls, cups and plastic silverware whenever possible. Take the time to teach the children to do their own laundry, fix meals for the family, clean, sweep, vacuum, etc. - then don't criticize their efforts or re-do what they did. Accept help from those outside of your house when it is offered and when it will really be a help. Don't be afraid to say "No thank you" if it will add to your workload. If you accept more tasks than you can handle, confess right away and let something go. Don't own problems and tasks that are not yours. Periodically - drop everything and do something for fun with the children! They do not stay young for very long! Hug them every single night and tell them you love them! First person home welcomes everyone else as they arrive. Welcome them home every time they come home, even if it is the 5th or 6th time for the day! Smile a lot!