Getting chore charts to work + FREE chore chart printable

Chore charts

Chore charts. It’s a divisive topic. Should kids be rewarded for contributing to their own household? Should parents have to make a captain obvious list as to what needs to be done? Do they actually work? Does anyone use them after the initial month of fervour wears off? Do the white board markers go missing in all families? If so, you could look into a site like https://writeyboards.ca/, where you can purchase a fresh new set of markers and maybe a new whiteboard while your at it!

We currently have a chore chart hanging off the fridge, laminated and ready for ticks and crosses. Once we can find the white board marker. Read more

Christmas Traditions – My Plan

christmas traditions

It’s getting busy isn’t it? I know my calendar is filling up quickly. And while parties and get-togethers are lots of fun, I want to make sure we have room for all the traditions that my family and I have come to love over the Christmas period.

Here’s a list of what we do over the festive period — it might help you plan your own traditions and decide when to do them. I also have a helpful printable to manage ALL the things at this time of year.  Read more

Free Perpetual Calendar Bunting

The Dutch have come up with some splendid ideas. Putting a truck-load of salt into liquorice (it’s an acquired taste). Making chocolate sprinkles specifically for toast (and yet I have never met an overweight Dutch person). Drinking coffee like it’s water (eight glasses a day – no problems.) But my favourite Dutch thing is the perpetual calendar.

Free Perpetual Calendar Bunting Download

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September School Holiday Calendar Printable

The week after next we will be on school holidays. I can’t wait.

School Holidays around the corner

Two weeks without shouty mornings and spilled breakfast cereal. I won’t miss “why aren’t you ready yet?” and rousing sleepy heads. I won’t miss making lunches. I won’t miss wondering whether I am on tuck-shop baking this week. I won’t miss remembering excursion forms, incursion forms, teacher/parent interviews, and random notes. I won’t miss homework. I won’t miss ironing tiny uniforms. I won’t miss wondering how little boys can get dirty in the space of five minutes after changing into the ironed uniform. I won’t miss waking the toddler because he has fallen asleep half an hour before pick up time.

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ProBlogger & helping the parent who stays home

helping out parent who stays home

In less than two weeks, I will be attending the ProBlogger conference – two days dedicated to all things blogging and a chance for some “me” time. I am excited, nervous and so looking forward to meeting some online friends and heroes in real life.

I am also leaving my two boys under the exclusive care of their father. This is not an issue. My husband is perfectly capable. He is not one of those hapless and helpless types favoured by nappy commercials back in the day.

However, he isn’t as familiar with their day-to-day minutiae as I am. He doesn’t have their time tables ingrained in his mind the same way I do. And he isn’t a morning person. So I know getting himself and two boys out the door solo isn’t going to be easy. I think it’s good for him to have to wrangle the kids solo occasionally – just so that he understands a little of what I do each day. But I do want him to enjoy it.

To help him out, I have put together this printable to assist with organising the boys while I am away.  Read more