Scheduling Over the Summer

For the past several years, I have prepared a Summer Schedule and revised Chore Chart for our family.  We try to use the summer months to get home projects done, have more fellowship times, attend activities outside the home and even some years we are preparing for new babies {as is the case this year}.  I have found that without a schedule our family is less productive and our home has been less orderly.  I usually try to have a new schedule ready BEFORE the end of our school year, however that did not happen this year, making the past couple of weeks much looser than we are accustomed to.

Today {Welcome First Day of Summer}, I took the time needed to compile an updated Summer 2011 Daily Schedule and Summer 2011 Chore Chart.  With these in place, there will be consistancy in getting done the things that should be done each day and the freedom to have more spontaneous outtings {as our home should be in easily maintained over the long haul}.  Our schedules have always served as a guide versus a task master.  Let's face it, know one knows what tomorrow holds, but far better to have a plan in place {especially with a larger family} than not to.

You may be wondering "Why do you schedule...especially over the summer months when most people are taking advantage of the down time from school and extra-curricular commitments?"  Well, here are some of our reasons:

• Provides a guide for getting those daily responsibilities done and if they are written down, they are more likely to happen.
• Provides continued opportunity for training our children in important life skills which will equip them as they grow older and have homes of their own one day.
• Provides opportunities to extend hospitality.
• Provides opportunities to learn something new, through home projects, community classes or other venues that the school year may not provide time for.
• Provides time to learn a trade {or stay polished on what they have previously learned} for each of our three oldest sons, as they work with their father one day a week in our family business
• Accountability ~ if it is written down then we are more likely to commit the time to do those things and not waste time doing others.
• Children thrive when they have routines to follow...gives them a sense of security.

Another question you may be wondering is, "Why does your family have a Chore Chart...Why does each member of the family have chores?"  We believe,

• chores are ways of teaching life skills, further equipping our children to be contributors as they grow older.
• chores provide a sense of value to each child, seeing that they are an important part of the family dynamics of caring for one another and our home.
• chores allow for developing character:  diligence, cheerfulness, dependability, attention to details, following directions, obedience, stewardship of time and possessions, thoroughness, etc.
• chores allow our home to be kept orderly {as best as possible with soon-to-be 10 in it}, which enables us to extend hospitality to others.
• the Lord has blessed us with a home and we are to be good stewards over it ~ therefore taking care of it for as long as we are here.
• that even our young children can do simple things to help which once again teaches them skill and grows their character to be more servant minded versus self minded.
• we each have a responsibility to contribute to the daily tasks necessary to manage our home...many members, one body.  :-) 

I have gleaned from many people over the years {and continue to}, as I seek to manage our home and train our children as the Lord equips me to do so.  For resources that I have found helpful and to read more about time management ,you can click here or for past schedules/charts click here.  If you are interested in seeing what this Summer's Schedule looks like you may click here.  I hope these post/schedules provide you practical ideas that you can use in your own homes and encouragment to write down a basic summer schedule if you have been contemplating doing so.

May this summer provide your family time to

• grow together,
• work together and
• love deeply. 

It is a blessing to hear from you.  Please feel free to leave a comment with any scheduling tips, resources or questions you may have...I am always exited to implement ideas that will make our home more orderly, productive and inviting, as well as help others to do the same.

Blessings this summer ~