Tips to Ease Your Plate!

I pick one evening a week and either order a pizza or make sandwiches and chips only for supper to give myself a break! Then I pick a favorite book and read for a while. It definitely helps my stress levels and gets me ready to go again the next day.

I lov ethat tip!  We had potluck tonite!  The young ones had hot dogs and beans ! Quick adn easy!  I cooked the other nights and tonite I was tired so that is what I did! 

ANother tip I picked up was to make sure I got up earlier and enjoyed my shower rather rushing for everyone else. I pray , brush teeth (all in teh shower), let th water hit my skin and then I still have time to get a lil breakfast before everyone else!  If momma isn't happy then nobody else is!  We influence our Home's atmosphere!

PAPER PLATES

PLASTIC CUPS

The Simpler Life

As you cut down on outside activities, set aside dedicate time for the family to be together. Taking a few minutes to relax after getting home can lower everyone’s stress levels and help family members to reconnect after a busy day, Kendall-Tackett says: “A lot of times, people get home and immediately dive into meal preparation, and it tends to be one of the worst hours of the day.”

Streamlining household routines can also make time at home more relaxed, she continues. (See “The Morning Rush” below for ideas to make your morning easier.) You don’t have to reorganize your whole house or overhaul your whole life. Keep spaces that you use every day, like the kitchen counter or home office, free of clutter. Focus your efforts on cleaning the areas in your house where things tend to gather, such as at the bottom and top of staircases or on the dinner table. Keep things where you use them so you don’t have to search the house just to find a pair of scissors. If you have to spend time rummaging through drawers looking for frequently used items, clean out the junk.

Once you create a pocket of organization in your house, it’s likely to spread, Kendall-Tackett says. “The goal is not to be hyperorganized for the sake of it, but to make it easier.”

Even with the best of intentions, though, changing the family dynamic takes time. Don’t expect to meet every goal right off the bat, especially regarding home organization. Kendall-Tackett and Doe both urge parents to let go of the idea of being a perfect parent and resist feeling guilty if the house is less than immaculate.

“Give yourself permission to step off the fast track,” Doe says, “trusting you’re giving [your children] the best gift: being present in their lives without being exhausted.”

The Morning Rush

Your morning routine can have a huge effect on how you feel the rest of the day. Instead of getting out of bed earlier to do everything, family psychologist Kathleen Kendall-Tackett recommends trying the following tips to save time.

1. After dinner, prep breakfast food and make lunches for the following day. Have your kids lay out their clothes before going to bed.
2. Avoid last-minute surprises by asking your kids what items they will need for the following day’s activities. Have them gather everything together in the evening.
3. Keep spare school supplies accessible and in a designated area.
4. Set aside an area for each family member to place items they will take to work or school the next day. Have children check that they have everything the night before so they’re not looking for lost homework in the morning.
5. Have healthy, self-serve food on hand for breakfast.
6. Organize bathroom drawers and cabinets so you don’t have to search for the items you use every day.