Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Five Minute Meetings & Index Cards

This week I have started something new and I like it, so wanted to share :)

I am not sure if this is just a character flaw of mine, or if other people suffer from the same downfall but I am really, really bad about saying 'we'll get to it later' or 'in a minute' or 'how about tomorrow' and then never getting the 'it' done.  I forget, something comes up, or I procrastinate again.  My kids get upset with me (understandably so!), I would be upset with myself at bedtime when I sit and take stock of the day (the guilt...oh the guilt that covers like a blanket at the end of a day when you realized you messed up...again!)...ICK.

So this week (I have been praying about this and thinking about it) an idea popped into my mind.  I have been trying to make a small 3X5 card for each child to have a check off sheet to know what they needed to do for the day so they wouldn't constantly be asking 'how much more do we have to do for today?'.  I have a timed schedule hanging in a prominent place for each to see, but for some reason they do SO much better if they have their own personal check off card for chores or school topics to complete for the day.  Anyway I had an idea to write 5 min. at the top of the index card in the right hand corner.  I sit down with each child for five minutes each morning before we begin and ask 'what would you like to get to today that is not already on our check off sheet?' and we make a list.  I work with them on picking one extra and we do it before going to bed at night.  I don't forget because it is a check off box (I love check off boxes :) ) and I have the accountability of checking each card every day.  It is an awesome way to see what we are doing, what we are not doing, and a great anecdote to the guilt :) because it shows we are making forward progress instead of treading water.

* oh and a confession....I had to drop Bible in 90 Days.  There is another opportunity on the horizon this spring that I hope to be able to take, but this time around...I bombed....big time!