on CHARTS

There are occassions when I go away without the children.

There are occassions when I take the younger children first away on a vacation
and the older children, who can not miss any school, meet us there. There are times when
school vacations of one child doesnt match that of another child, in a nursery schoool or upper school.


There are several charts that we have to make up for this type of organization.


The first chart is the DAILY CHART. Here I type on one piece of paper each
day, who has been hired to help, and the basic responsibilities, down to the simpliest point


I tape this paper onto a poster board and hang it in a central location. Under this paper are envelopes which could be pay envelopes fo guitar, or piano lessons that are still going on while we are away...or envelopes filled with estimated dollar amounts for food to be ordered or replinished.


7:00am Dad wakes up the kids
7:30am Someone will come in and will help with breakfast for kids.
7:50am Dad leaves the house with kids and drops them off at school
3:00pm 12 year old is going home with his friend and leave the number
of his friend and leave the plan on how he is getting home

and so on.

The second chart is MEALS. I make sure that money envelopes are
left labeled Milk, Eggs, Cereals, Fruit that might run out and can be
replaced.

I chart out each evening what is happening for dinner, if meals are prepared in the refrigerated and labeled to be re-heated or if the evening plan is to have the caretaker order food from a local take out restaurant or is Dad going to take kids out to dinner.

I leave envelopes labels CHINESE FOOD TUESDAY with the chinese food number and money in envelope to pay for the food. I expect the caregiver who is responsible to leave receipts and change in each envelope for each night.

Another chart is the CONTACT chart. This is a list of emergency contact numbers
of friends in the area who will be home incase of emergency!

If My husband and I are away together we put a balloon over each day on the chart. Every evening the youngest child is the one who pops the balloons and tells every one how many more days are left til mommy and daddy return home!

Charts are not only great for organizing when you are away, they are great for teaching kids how to organize.

I am proud and amazed when I see my children creating charts for themselves.