Check lists

My husband and I are very slowly working our way through the book “The Secrets of Happy Families”. It is not an intense read, we just have other stuff going on and little time to read. It is certainly a self help book, but not a 10 steps type of approach.  The author, Bruce Feiler, has researched not “family” experts, but experts in team building and problem solving. He invites you to help your self to the strategies that he has found helpful or not.

One thing that we have started to try, that Feiler recommends,  is the morning check list. My two big kids have laminated lists that stay on the fridge. You can see them above with the types of things that have to get done. If they complete their checklist each morning they get a prize on Friday. Having them know what the expectations are and taking some of the responsibility for lunch and back pack packing has made the mornings a little less chaotic. Since my big girl knows that she has to chose a hair do, we don’t argue about it any more. I can actually sit for a couple minutes,  eat breakfast, and drink my coffee (still hot) with everyone.

Hints for making your own check list:

• All the images came from google images.
• I lay it out on a word document.
• The picture and words together help my not yet reader.
• I have a handy laminator, but any copy store can laminate.
• Laminated copies work well with dry eraser markers.