When you look at your family calendar, do you have a horrible sense of dread and stress? Do you feel totally zapped of energy before your week has even started?
That is how I often felt when I realized that all my days had been crammed full of obligations during the week.
I’m sure you know what it is like. In addition to all the preparation and teaching of your children, there are:
- appointments: orthodontist, eye Dr, dentist, Vet, speech therapy, piano lessons…
- acts of service: driving the sick friend to the Dr, missionaries for dinner, preparing food for a sick family or funeral meal…
- other things: driving test, license renewal, car repair, washer breaks, illness, errands, and on and on.
My phone would often ring, and out of my mouth would pop, “Sure, when do you need me?” I would hang up the phone and wonder how I was ever going to fit it all in. <sigh>. Does any of this sound familiar?
After a particularly hectic week, running myself ragged and feeling sick for a few days, I realized that something had to be done. The truth is, there are endless good things to do in life. If we don’t learn how to be realistic with our time, we will become stressed and miserable people trying to do it all. We have to be selective with all the good choices available and put priorities first.
That’s exactly what I did. I blocked out a good part of my weekdays for HOMESCHOOLING. I wrote our church activities on our calendar and necessary appointments and then I did the best thing ever – I wrote in big letters HOME DAY with a frame around it. Now, it was official, my day was already planned, it was on the calendar. What was the purpose? Well, when people called needing something, I would say something like this, “I’d be happy to help you, but I’m already booked for that day, If you can wait until the next day, I’ll be happy to help you.” Now before you send me hate mail, I do want to point out that we are happy to do acts of service on other days during the week.
This has turned out to be such a blessing to our family. I now look at my calendar and see that wonderful day each week and smile. I no longer feel that sense of dread. No matter how crazy my week looks, I know there is a day of relief coming. It’s become our NEEDED DAY. How we spend our day depends on our need at the time. Do we need fun? Do we need some time outdoors? What about time with friends? Do we need a field trip? Do we need an afternoon at home to relax? Other than our normal homeschooling, we choose how to spend that day together and take care of those needed things.
What does your calendar look like?
You can find Dana smiling at her calendar and @ her blog Noggins & Nonsense. * Days in photo are representative of our weekly obligations. We prefer to keep our exact schedule out of cyberspace :)
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I think a “needed” day is incredibly important – what a good idea! Years ago, I cut WAY back on the amount of service work that I do when I finally realized that I was doing so much good work OUTSIDE of my home that the work INSIDE of my home was being neglected. My first priority for service has to be to my own family.
Samantha
Samantha´s last blog ..Publishing Ideas for Student Writing Part 2 – Lapbooks and Folder Books
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Wow. It’s so nice to hear that someone else is going through the same thing! It seems people think that because we homeschool, we’re always available… so frustrating, though it’s nice to be able to just drop things and go once in awhile.
Julie´s last blog ..working on social skills
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Just what I need! A Needed Day! This is a great idea. Adding it to my calendar :)
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