Sometime in the last year or so Will and I started having a weekly planning session on Sunday evenings. We go day by day and discuss the regular things that happen as well as any other special things planned. These meetings have been so helpful and alleviate stress caused by frantic realizations that we're double-booked. It's also necessary now that there are five people and generally, four different schedules to accommodate.
About a year ago, we added a new component to our weekly planning. We have assigned a cleaning chore to each day of the week. For example, on Mondays the bathrooms are cleaned and on Wednesdays I don't clean anything because that's grocery day and that's enough for one day.
We've started something new this week, thanks to another suggestion from Ellen and her time with another mom who has several kids and stays organized. She and her husband also have a weekly planning time but during that time they discuss what particular thing they'll focus on with each child...and possibly themselves. So, this week the "thing" we're working on is making sure that the kitchen is clean before bed.
Hmm. Will went to bed an hour ago and I'm about to fall in bed myself. And, well...the kitchen isn't clean.
How about we start tomorrow.
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Will had to leave soon after dinner on Tuesday and I was really quite exhausted but with Adriaan's help we managed to get the kitchen looking acceptable.
Last night, I cleaned up while we were waiting for Will to put the finishing touches on dinner. We ate later than usual because Michele joined us after taking Ado to soccer practice. The twins were already in bed asleep and dinner was peaceful, so nice. There wasn't much to do after dinner but rinse plates, put them in the dishwasher and start it up. There really is a secret here...to clean as you cook. Or, to have dinner ready and waiting while you clean up and then serve the food. We lack the self discipline and motivation to clean a messy kitchen after our bellies are full and happy. I would be more motivated to clean if I knew that as soon as it was done, I could eat!
Uh, today is Friday and I think we've done a pretty good job this week. It seems like one of us has to be in charge of getting the kids ready for bed and the other can clean the kitchen. The days of team work (as in doing things together) seem to be on hold. I'm much faster at kitchen cleaning so it tends to be me in the the kitchen and Will with the kids.
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