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FAMILY/ Healthy Eating/ HOME/ Meals/ Parenting/ RECIPES/ Simplifying

Need School Lunch Ideas & Inspiration? So Did I. Here Ya Go!

Best School Lunch Inspiration, healthy and eco friendly ideas | New Nostalgia

I am on a mission this year to make our school lunches something my kids look forward to.  I also want to feel good about the food I serve them.  By the end of the school year last year, if I even mentioned peanut butter and jelly all 3 of my girls would moan.

I’ve been scouring the web for inspiration and guess what?  I AM SUPER INSPIRED!

I’ve learned that half the battle is having the right equipment, so today I will be going shopping for thermoses, containers & ice packets.  I am so tired of buying little baggies, not to mention the waste, so small containers it is.  They will eventually pay for themselves with the money I save in not buying those zippy little baggies!

On to my inspiration:

This first pin share is a great way to get started.  I am going to print it off and keep it on my refrigerator for inspiration & a quick reference when I am making my grocery list.  It is a list of lunch box ideas sorted according to each type of food–fruit, vegetable, dessert, fillers, etc.

Source: flickr.com via New on Pinterest

This is an awesome site.  This mom documented every lunch she packed for her child for a year.  She said the square box she uses in each lunch is from Target.  I like how she uses a muffin liner to separate foods.  She also writes that she uses press and seal for any “spillable” foods like yogurt or dips.

Make smoothies, freeze them, then put them in lunch box.  They will freeze just enough by lunch time, and also act as a cold pak.

This is a great post by my blog friend Cassidy at Remodelaholic.   She lists 25 best school lunches, some are quite creative.  I like the simplicity of the lunch pictured above.  A silicone muffin liner is another way to separate food, and is reusable.

This is a super fun idea if your kids are banana lovers. Write on them with toothpicks and as the day goes on, the message appears.

I know I will fall back on the trusty peanut butter and jelly sandwich once in awhile, but I don’t think my girls will mind if I add some interesting & healthy sides to it.  That power bar looks awesome, huh? Click link under the photo for the recipe.

This site is in Spanish, but the picture speaks for itself.  What a simple, cute & healthy way to express love.  Kids love and notice little touches.

Source: family.go.com via New on Pinterest

This photo is from the Disney family site.  They have a TON of great ideas for school lunches, all organized and divided up according to what your child’s tastes are.  I love this one with hummus, flat bread and tabbouleh.  Again, the cupcake liners serve as dividers.

Aren’t these so cute.  Easy and sweet.  I’m gonna have my 9 year old make the clips, but I won’t tell her what I plan on doing with them!

School lunch vanilla parfait.  I plan to put my mason jars to good use with this idea!  Yum.

The rest of my shares will be from this amazing site called Easy Lunch Boxes.  There are so many ideas!  I will share my favs:

Served with a thermos of lentil soup.

Served with a thermos of tomato soup.

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Want to see more of my pins?  I’d love you to follow me on Pinterest.

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Got any more great lunch ideas for me?  Please share in the comments!

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FAMILY/ Healthy Eating/ How-Tos/ Parenting/ RECIPES

12 Ways To Get Kids To Eat Their Fruits And Vegetables

*a repost from the archives
 I have had much success in getting my kids to eat their fruits and vegetables. 
How?

By appealing to the things they love!

~Kids love COLOR
~Kids love GAMES
~Kids love LEARNING
~Kids love feeling “GROWN UP”

Below are some tips that appeal to these very things:

1. Keep It Fun & Playful, Like A Game
 We try to “eat the rainbow” every day in our home.  We talk often about the importance of getting some of each color, everyday. It is 1:00 p.m. and I just asked my 8 year old a question I ask often, “How many colors have you had today?”  Her answer, “Blue blueberries in my oatmeal for breakfast, orange orange juice, yellow banana with my lunch, green asparagus with lunch, red apple with  lunch, green kale for snack, blended up in my fruit- smoothie popsicle.

2. Take Advantage Of Kids Natural Desire To Learn  
Why do we need to eat our fruits and vegetables?  When kids understand the reason for doing something they are much more likely to cooperate. Learn together what “free radicals” are and why we don’t want them in our bodies. Teach what “antioxidants” are what they do to help our bodies. Learn the different nutrients and vitamins in each fruit and vegetable, and how they benefit the body.  “Nutrition For Dummies” is a great resource for teaching simple nutrition lessons.


3. Shop The Rainbow
This can be fun and easily turned into a game.  In the car on the way to the grocery store, talk about how you are going to “shop the rainbow.” Ask the kids for their help.  Ask them to name as many “red” fruits and vegetables as they can.  When they can’t think of anymore, ask them to name the “yellows.”  You could even have one make a list of all the vegetables you come up with under each color category, then vote in the car what you should buy in each category.  Circle those items, take it into the store with you as your grocery list.

4. Take Advantage Of Color
Comment on the  natural beauty of fruits and vegetables.  Talk about all the different, beautiful hues.  The deep purple of eggplant, the bright red of strawberries the bright green of broccoli. While you are admiring the colors also notice all the beautiful shapes and textures. We use mason jars in our home for food storage.  I have many reasons, but my favorite reason is that you can easily see what is in the jar.  There is nothing better than opening the refrigerator and seeing jars full of shredded orange carrots, bright green peas, yellow pepper strips, or balls of pink watermelon.  My kids know that if they are still hungry after a “salty” or “sweet” snack that they can go to the refrigerator and help themselves to the vegetables in mason jars.  I love seeing them grab a jar, grab the dip, and munch away!


5. Keep Your Power 
It is important to keep healthful eating lighthearted and playful, but there will also be times when it is not, and we will have to be the parent. If your kids need medicine it is your job to make them take it. Good food is just as important.  We look at fruits and vegetables as medicine in our home, “Nature’s Pharmacy.”  My kids know that eating their fruits and vegetables is not an option.  They know it is a necessity and it is expected. 

6. Implement This Simple Rule 
To keep power struggles to a minimum, especially at the dinner table, our rule is “no eating your main dish until your vegetable is gone.”  This is very effective.  They come to the table very hungry, smelling the spaghetti and garlic bread.  They are sitting there face to face with their desires.  They eventually give in and eat their vegetable.  It is a great strategy which takes advantage of the fact that everything tastes better when you are hungry!  This rule was needed when they were younger, but we rarely use it anymore as our expectations are now known.
7. Keep Portions Small
Especially when introducing a new vegetable!  Give them time to acclimate to new textures and tastes.  Broccoli is not my girls favorite vegetable so we started with one small broccoli floret, and worked our way to almost a full serving. Gradually work the serving size up to at least a 1/2 cup.

8. Appeal To Kids Desire To Feel “Grown-Up”
One of the most simple strategies we have used is saying (as they are chewing with scrunched up noses), “Oh, you don’t like that vegetable?  Your taste buds must not be old enough for that one yet.  Maybe next time you taste it, it will be different.”  This creates a positive goal in our home, being old enough and having a “mature enough palate” to like all types of vegetables.

9. Talk About Palates
We watch “Top Chef” as a family.  It has been very educational when it comes to different types of foods.  We comment on how the judges have such mature palates.  When my kids like something healthy I will say, “Wow, you have such a healthy palate!”  We have even talked about how eating just a bite or two of a new taste and texture can help train our palates to appreciate all types of food.  This appeals to kids desire to feel “grown-up” and also keeps things lighthearted and fun, like a game.

10. Teach About Texture
Again, the show “Top Chef” has been helpful in this area.  The judges are always talking about how a certain dish needs more “texture.”  For the longest time my kids would complain about lettuce and tomatoes on their tacos.  It would frustrate me because it turned a healthful meal into a “meat and cheese” meal.  Not what I wanted.  So, one night when having tacos, I casually said, “I bet the “Top Chef” judges would say your tacos need more texture.”  I saw this sparked their curiosity and continued, “Lettuce gives a type of crispy crunch and tomatoes are soft and cool down the spice of the meat.  Wow, the textures of the food work and taste beautifully together!”  It worked.  They tried it and agreed. Yes!

11. Make It A Game
Hang a chart on the refrigerator to keep track of “who ate the most colors that day”.  If it is over 5 servings give a sticker!  Or make a matching game- match the color of fruit or vegetable with the main nutrient it provides.  This is a great way for adults to learn too!

12. Grow Them
The last two years, we have had much fun with our Square Foot Garden. {link-https://www.amynewnostalgia.com/time-to-garden/}  When my kids watch something grow from a seed they squished into the dirt they are very eager to eat the reward.

{wrapped lettuce photo here}

Simple Ways We Eat Fruits And Vegetables
~Frozen berries in cold cereal
~Frozen berries in oatmeal
~A bowl of frozen berries thawed to perfection during dinner in time for dessert
~Apple slices almond butter
{link-https://www.amynewnostalgia.com/my-favorite-healthy-snack/}
~Bananas sliced on bran flakes for breakfast
~Banana slices on whole wheat peanut butter bagel
~Celery and peanut butter or cream cheese
~Pepper strips and hummus
~Cucumber slices and dip
~Frozen grapes-so refreshing!
~A 6 cup muffin tin full of different colors for snack
~Clementine slices on our salads
~Frozen mango chunks in a bowl
~Edamame with sea salt-my kids favorite
~Fruit smoothies made green by blending in spinach
~Eggplant in place of beef in our spaghetti sauce
~Fruit kabobs-so pretty and fun
~Fresh berries in pancakes
~Homemade, no- cook berry jam
{link-https://www.amynewnostalgia.com/strawberry-freezer-jam/}
~Sliced berries on ice cream
~Spinach salad with mason jars full of vegetable toppings to add themselves
~Make our own fresh vegetable and fruit juices using our juicer.
1
FAMILY/ Parenting

Speaking Your Child’s Love Language-Part 1 – Purposeful Living

These posts written by Todd (Amy’s husband) are designed to model a system of purposeful living.  At least once a month, I spend time setting meaningful goals around one of seventeen core priorities.

If you missed it, consider reading the foundation post – Purposeful Living #1.

Correct Priority
Priority #5 – Social Health – Immediate Family–Children (Social & Emotional Health)

Goal Setting & Reflection Date
Sunday, March 6

Goal
Invest in the social and emotional health of my middle daughter and strengthen my relationship with her by figuring out a way to spend quality one-on-one time with her.   

Goal Status
Completed

Thoughts
For years I feel have missed the mark with our middle girl, who is 11.  I know how she is wired and I know how she best receives love, but I have not been effective in tapping into either of these parts of her personality.

I have felt that Amy and I have done better with our other two daughters.  Amy has spent hours supporting our oldest daughter (age 12) in developing her duct tape business called Twisted Tape.  And I have spent hours (and hours and hours and hours) supporting our youngest daughter (age 9) develop her soccer skills. But I have missed the mark with my middle girl.  She has not received the same level of focused attention.


This is sad because her love language is Quality Time.  She loves having mom or dad all to herself. 

(For more on children’s love languages, read this book: The Five Love Languages of Children)

Despite this ongoing failure, I am happy to report that in March I set a goal to find a solution to this problem and within a few days came up with a couple of ideas that have proven hugely successful. 

On my end, I tapped into her love of reading.  She saved up for a Kindle Fire and routinely stays up way too late reading books under her covers in her room when I think she is asleep. 

I also love books and own my own Kindle Fire, so doing this together seemed like a no brainer.

For the months of April, May, June, and July I picked out one evening each month and took her to Barnes & Noble. 

Upon arrival, I head to the café area to purchase a root beer and snag a table while she shops for a book of her choice.  As long as I approve of the content of the book, she can purchase pretty much any book she wants. 

After she finds a book we purchase it electronically on her Kindle.  Then she joins me at the café where I purchase her a snack of her choice from the bakery. We spend our remaining time reading.  And sipping our root beer.  And munching on our snacks.  And discussing our books.  And chatting about life.

It is precious time with my middle daughter.  I look forward to it every month and I am pretty sure she does too.

{Family Trip To The Zoo 2012}

The next post in this series will explain how Amy is also spending Quality Time with her by tapping into her love of reading.  The two of us are working well as a team to spoil our sweet middle child with one-on-one attention. 
Link To Foundation Post
Purposeful Living #1

Outline Of All Purposeful Living Posts
Purposeful Living Series
 

1
FAMILY/ How-Tos/ Meals/ Parenting/ RECIPES

Saucy Asian Meatballs & Getting Your Kids To Help In The Kitchen

I will get to this awesome recipe of Saucy Asian Meatballs in just a minute.  It made my whole family VERY happy and I enjoyed the sauce with veggies and rice.  But first let me tell you how it came about that this recipe even made it into our family favorites.

I am reading a book on parenting (whose title I will share with you soon when I remember it…I am sitting in a coffee shop and it is at home).  Anyway…it is an awesome book that has my wheels turning when it comes to parenting and what I expect out of my kids.

It has challenged me to challenge my kids. To expect more out of them and to encourage them to do things they don’t think they can or don’t want to do.

My oldest who will be 13 in a month, REALLY does not like to cook.  At least I thought she didn’t like to cook.  Every time I would try to pull her in the kitchen, she would shuffle, moan, groan & we would end up frustrated with each other.  I have decided that learning to cook is a non-negotiable in our home, as I want them prepared as possible to run a home of their own someday, so I have been trying to come up with a way to make cooking less of a drudgery for my oldest.

Enter Pinterest.  I have watched my daughter slowly build a following on Pinterest as she has super great taste and an eye for beauty.  She loves pinning things, and I noticed one of her boards was named “Get In My Belly.”  I checked out the recipes she pinned, and noticed that many of them were cheesy and full of sugar, so I cringed when I found myself saying to her, “Hey, how about you pick a recipe from your ‘Get In My Belly‘ boards to make for dinner.  I will let you pick what you want, I will buy the ingredients, but you have to make it.”

She immediately went to her boards and I was pleased with what she chose.  I was happy it was not deep fried or oozing with cheese and cream of something soup.  She chose Saucy Asian Meatballs.

I was interested to see if she would follow through with no complaining, and she did just that.  I sat in with her at the table, but I was very careful not do anything but guide her with my words.  She did all the chopping, shaping and baking.  I was amazed and very proud of my non-cook, cooking!

It took a few minutes to get her to use her hands to mix the raw meat mixture (can you blame her?) But, she gave in and we laughed about her dramatic facial expressions as she mixed by hand.  Blech.

Here she is with her finished dinner.  I showed her how to prepare rice in our rice cooker & make a side of frozen vegetables.  Her dinner got rave reviews from her sisters and her dad, who loves great flavor & “mmm’ed” all through dinner.

{Wanna pin it? She would be thrilled.  Pin button down by the comments}

 I was proud and so was she.  I’m eager to see if this will work again with her.  I sure hope so.  I totally enjoyed being with her in the kitchen and I loved seeing how empowered she felt by working hard and producing an entire meal by herself!

Want to follow her on Pinterest?  I know she would be thrilled to see her numbers grow.

Click here if so!

________________

Saucy Asian Meatballs Recipe

 

*we doubled the sauce to make sure we had enough for my rice & veggies

{from Give Me Some Oven, click through for amazing photos of this recipe! She also talks about the flavor & how they won a taste testing contest by her friends after making numerous meatball recipes}

Ingredients:

Meatball Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs. ground pork or ground beef (we used beef, local & grass fed)
  • 2 tsp. sesame oil
  • 1 cup Panko or breadcrumbs (we used regular breadcrumbs)
  • 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tsp. minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup thinly-sliced green onions
  • optional garnish: toasted sesame seeds, sliced scallions

Asian Sauce Ingredients:

  • 2/3 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. sesame oil
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger

Method:

Preheat oven to 400.

In a large bowl, mix together meatball ingredients until well-combined.  Shape into balls (I made mine about 1.5 inches, which yielded about 35 meatballs, but 1 inch is probably standard), and place on a greased baking sheet or in a 9×13 baking dish.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until meatballs are golden on the outside and no longer pink on the inside.

While the meatballs are baking, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until blended.  Once meatballs have finished cooking, you can either dip each meatball individually (using a toothpick) in the sauce mixture.  Or you can pour the sauce over the meatballs and gently stir them until covered.

 

 

16
FAMILY/ Parenting

Paying Attention To Our Children-Part 2 – Purposeful LIving


These posts written by Todd (Amy’s husband) are designed to model a system of purposeful living.  At least once a month, I spend time setting meaningful goals around one of seventeen core priorities.


If you missed it, consider reading the foundation post – Purposeful Living #1. 




Correct Priority
Priority #5 – Social Health – Immediate Family–Children (Teagan-Social & Emotional Health)


Preface
Many dads get the big stuff right.  But it is the little things that make our children feel special, valued, and cherished.  Paying Attention To Our Children will be an ongoing series highlighting the little ways in which I purposefully notice the little things in the lives of my girls. 


In most cases I think I care far more about the details than they do, but even in these cases there is one thing of which I am certain – they know I love them.  And a child who feels loved and cherished by their father (in addition to mom) is a child better positioned to thrive.     


Goal Setting & Reflection Date
Sunday, January 29


Goal
Once a month purchase a bag of candy to put in the candy dispenser she got for Christmas. 


Goal Status
Completed (Ongoing-Monthly)


Thoughts
Our oldest, Teagan, received a very cool gum/candy dispenser for Christmas.  It is battery powered and a few pieces of gum or candy are released by simply waving your hand under the area where the candy is dispensed. 


Amy and I have purchased the girls a gum machine or two over the years.  But they were usually rinky-dink little things that broke within a week.  Or when the gum ran out they were forgotten and eventually tossed.


But this particular gum dispenser was pretty cool and the entire family would sneak into Teagan’s room on occasion to grab a snack.  Teagan also thought it was a neat gift.  So much so that when the candy ran out towards the end of January she asked if I would take her to the store so she could spend her own money to refill it.

{At the candy store…now THAT’S a candy machine!}

I made a decision right then that at the beginning of each month Teagan and I would shop together for a new snack for her candy dispenser.  And I would pay for it.  Normally my girls need to spend their own money if they want candy.  But in this case I decided to make an exception.    


In March we bought Pretzel M&M’s.  In April we bought Skittles.  For May and June we bought Gobstoppers.    


Link To Foundation Post


Outline Of All Purposeful Living Posts
Purposeful Living Series


Links To Additional Posts In This Series 
1
FAMILY/ Love/ Music Renews/ Parenting/ Spiritual

For My 3 Lil’ Lovlies

My babies are now 12, 10 and 9!  I just can’t believe it!  Where do the years go?  I am loving every minute of being a mom.  I feel so very lucky to call these little lovelies mine, always remembering that they ultimately are His.  I know He will always take care of them.
I love you, my three beauties!

I remember singing this hymn as a child, for it was sung to me. 
This remake of it is so pretty.
Love.
Be not dismayed what e’er be tide

God will take care of you
Beneath His wings of love abide
God will take care of you

God will take care of you
Through every day, o’er all the way
*He will care for you*
God will take care of you

Through days of toil when heart doth fail
God will take care of you
When dangers fierce your path assail
God will take care of you

God will take care of you
Through every day, o’er all the way
He will care for you
God will take care of you

God will take care of you
Through every day, o’er all the way
He will care for you
God will take care of you

3
FAMILY/ HOME/ Organizing/ Parenting/ Simplifying

Kids Back To School Morning Routine

*Click here for “Kids Back To School Evening Routine”

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How is back to school time going for you?  It has been smooth sailing so far at our house, thanks to our back to school morning routine chart, so I thought I would repost.  This post has been flying through the web, getting passed on  by all of you!  Thank you.

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Yesterday, I posted about my Fall Morning Routine.  Today I thought I’d share my girls “Back To School” Morning Routine.

This chart has turned our mornings from crazy to smooth.  It has turned me from a “nagging” mom, to a “more laid back” mom.  Before our Morning Routine, I was walking around with a bunch of crazy “monkeys”on my back that didn’t belong there.

 In other words, I used my  brain power and my words for things that my girls were more than old enough to think about, and to be responsible for.  Now the “monkeys” are where they belong, and boy does my back feel better!

I had to break the “reminder” habit, where I go around asking, did you do your chart?  Did you brush your teeth? etc.  All that was doing was confusing my girls.

If mom is going to ask or remind them about their responsibilities, (putting the monkeys back on me), then why would they ever step up to the plate and think or do for themselves??

The key to my girls taking ownership was incentive and consequence.  If they do their charts CORRECTLY, without ANY prompting from me, they earn points that go toward allowance.

If they mess up AT ALL, NO POINTS!  This is where I had to get tough.  The first few times that they didn’t do it right and didn’t get their points, oh my, were there tears!!

It was hard to “lay down the law” and “stick to my guns” because they had worked so hard and diligently on their chart those mornings. The first day that we did charts, (after having a family meeting to introduce the charts and explain the rules/expectations in detail last spring,) they were so excited to earn points.

They got up early to do their charts, worked so hard, then… left their cups out.  Cups were considered a “personal” that they didn’t pick up, which is on the chart, so NO POINTS!

I have to admit, it is a good thing Todd was home to help me see the importance of being strong, because I wanted to just let that slide and reward them.

But, if I gave in and gave them points even if it was not done completely, then they would never do their best, they would never take it seriously, and the charts would become meaningless.

Those first few days of strictness with our charts really paid off, but boy, did I feel like a mean-y!  No more.  Now they know what will happen if they “forget” something, and I feel like a mom at peace who has taught the girls responsibility when it comes to their morning routine.

Below is a list of their Morning Routine.

I made the chart online at this great site, it was SUPER easy to just follow directions, fill in the blanks, and push print.  Then I had them laminated, and we hang them every morning on our Chore Board with magnets. They use dry erase markers or dry erase crayons (did you know there was such thing? We love them!) to mark off as they go.

Another very strict rule we have is that there is NO TV, COMPUTER OR PLAYTIME until their Morning Charts are done on a school day.  This is key. This motivates them to start early and finish so they can have playtime before school starts.

Without this rule, I would have to nag them to get going on their charts.  If I find out they disobeyed this rule, they do not get their morning points, but they still have to do their entire chart.

Back To School Morning Routine:

~Make Bed

~5 Minute Room Rescue

~Get Dressed

~Put PJ’s & Hangers Away

~Eat

~Take Vitamins

~Clear Breakfast Dish

~Hair

~Backpack

~Lunch bag

~Homework

~Library Book

~Coat/Jacket Ready

~Shoes

~Personals

~Brush Teeth

Make Bed-they do this right when they get out of it.  Great lifetime habit in my opinion!

5 Minute Room Rescue–they do this for their evening routine, too, so their rooms never get out of hand.  I would like to get them timers to keep in their rooms.

Get Dressed–all the way to their socks

Put P.J.’s Away-self explanatory.

Eat–they help themselves to bagels, toast, cereal or pancakes in the freezer. Sometimes they make scrambled eggs in the microwave.  Sometimes I make oatmeal.  They all know they have to have some sort of fruit with the choices above.  If they eat breakfast with no fruit, no points!

Vitamins–they take a multiple vitamin, a calcium + D vitamin, and a chewable vitamin C.  If we miss even a week of this, it seems they start getting sick again.  I am a firm believer in quality vitamins, (especially vitamin D!!!) only because I no long live at the Dr.’s office:)

Clear Dish–this includes rinsing it

Hair–they need help from me for this one

Backpack-they bring it to the living room so they can grab and go

Lunch Bag-I get all the food ready and have it in 3 separate piles, 1 for each girl.  They are responsible to come in and put it in their lunch bag, and grab their water bottle from the refrigerator (which they fill the night before, it is on their evening routine chart).  Then they take it to the living room and put it with their backpack.

Homework–they put it in their backpack if it isn’t already.  I always know it is done because it is part of the evening routine.

Library Books– I don’t like it when school library books get mixed up with our community library books.  To avoid this, our rule is they keep their school library book in their backpack at all times, putting it back right away after a reading session.  Then I don’t have to worry about what day the book is due, because it is always with them.

Coat/Jacket–in the spring/fall, they keep a jacket or sweater in their backpacks at all times, because you never know what the weather will do. I HATE being home worrying about them being cold at recess just because the sun didn’t come out that day like expected.  Now I don’t have to worry and have mommy guilt! 🙂 In the winter, they put their coats by their backpacks/lunch bags in the living room.

Shoes–they put them by their backpacks/lunch bags/coats in the living room.

Personals–this is one of my favorites!! They go into each room of the house to find anything that they left out and put it away.  The also do this for evening routine, so it takes just minutes in the morning. 

Brush Teeth–they just brush in the morning.  They brush, floss, rinse at night.  We make the 2 younger do it where we can see them because we had the “I say I brushed but really just stuck a brush full of toothpaste in my mouth for 2 seconds” problem. 🙂

 

Side note:

For this system to work properly, I have to make sure all things are accessible for them to be able to do their charts without help or hindrance.  For example…

 

~they need clean clothes to get dressed into

~they need easy/clear breakfast options to feed themselves

~they need to know where to find the vitamins, so I keep their vitamins all in one basket in a cupboard

~they always know where their backpack is because we have designated spots for them

~the water bottles are always ready to grab because they were filled the night before

~homework, library book and jacket always stay in the backpack so there is no last minute searching

 

…does this make sense?  Because of thought and routine, they are able to do their charts in an easy and carefree manor.  Routines free us all up, and cuts down/eliminates stress, frantic searching for things last minute, and kids asking me a billion questions like “mom, where is my…”  

Many people who are not naturally organized (believe it or not, I’m not!) may look at this and feel like it is strict and no fun.  It is actually the opposite.  These things became habit for us all, and eventually done with very little thought and effort.  

It brings an easy, light, and fun mood to the home, and teaches wonderful lessons in the process. I realize it is not for everyone, but I can’t tell you how much better our home life is with routines in place!!!

 

So there you have it, our morning routine.  Most days, when I come downstairs, they are well on their way through their chart.  I can always tell where that are at due to the 3 areas on the couches where they put their backpack/lunch bag/shoes as they get them ready to go.

All I have to think about in the morning is making their lunch and helping them with their hair.  So easy!  I love this Morning Chart!  It is one of my favorite parts of our Family System.

 I am blessed to have a husband who is very involved and brainstormed what this Family System would look like.  One of these days I’m going to get him on here to explain the rest of the system, as these routine charts are just a piece of it!

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