Chaos Coordination
I recently saw a sign at Homesense that read, “Chaos Coordinator.” I was very tempted to buy it for above our kitchen window, but I am not an impulse buyer and I don’t want our kids to think they are chaotic.
Truth is, our house has a lot going on. There are 5 little children, two dogs, and Josh and I.
We try hard to instill order in our home and have worked hard to establish rhythms that give life to our family and serve us well. Schedules, routines, and organization come naturally to me. It is a gift the Lord has given me, and on the flip side, He is also daily pruning my urge to be in control. People ask me how we do it with so many little kids and my quick response is always - routines, teach independence, and a place for everything and everything in its place.
Here are a few quotes from sermons and books that I am currently learning from that resonate with this idea:
“Have a plan to carry out the good intentions you have for the Lord.” - Don Horban (sermon linked below).
“Time is the currency of purpose…most of us aren’t very good decision makers in the moment…a schedule is much more like a trellis. It’s the scaffolding on which life grows.” - Justin Whitmel Earley (Made For People).
With all that said, here is a look at our current daily schedule. It may seem rigid and a bit much. But it really isn’t. Our wake up time and bed time anchor the kid’s day. Next we prioritize eating 3 meals a day together so those are always at the same time (give or take 15 mins). Then, our kids are at the ages where they still need naps and quiet time so those are slotted in. Next, it is very important to me that I get outside early in the day and that the kids are outside for a few hours each day so we have a morning walk and after nap outdoor time. In the winter it is hard work to keep up the outdoor time, that is a whole different blog post. But in the warmer months the kids are spending 3-5 hours outside each day. And finally everything else finds its place in the in-between. Josh and I have a few little routines that we implement to keep the house running smoothly (ie. laundry, vacuuming, cleaning, etc.) but that would just clutter this schedule. We keep this one posted in our kitchen and it is very helpful for staying on track and the kids are starting to read it and associate different activities with specific times in the day (lunch is at 12, nap is at 1, etc.).
Some of these routines come naturally to us and are easy to keep, some are struggles but we see the benefit of them and so we press on. For example, a few months back I realized I wasn’t getting outside until later in the day and it was affecting my mood. I decided to start taking the kids for walks right after breakfast to see if that would help. This new routine would upset other routines I had firmly established for years, but I decided it was worth a shot. Those first few days, and even weeks, of getting the kids out the door (in lots of winter gear) were rough. In the moment I thought, “this is not improving my mood - it is just making me grumpier during a time of day when I was usually joyful!” But, it has been worth it. That morning walk is a great way for the kids and I to start our day together doing an activity we all love and I am not distracted by chores and my to-do list. Also, the benefits of sunlight early in the day and fresh air are innumerable. I still struggle to get us out the door sometimes and I often would rather just get the kids outside and stay inside myself to get something things crossed of my list, but the walk is worth it. It is probably the number one thing on our schedule that requires true discipline from me.
“A whole lot of what we call ‘struggling’ is simply delayed obedience.” - Elizabeth Elliot
Our current schedule for a family of 7 (16 mo old, 19 mo old, 2 yr old, 3 yr old, and 5 yr old):
4:45 AM Josh’s work out
6:15 AM Rebecca’s work out
7:00 AM Kids wake up and breakfast and scripture study
8:30 AM Morning walk
9:00 AM Little boys nap/homeschool activities
11:00 AM Prep Lunch
12:00 PM Lunch
12:30 PM Read Aloud
1:00 PM Nap and quiet time (prep dinner)
3:00 PM Outside
5:00 PM Dinner
6:00 PM Bed time prep
7:00 PM Bed
That’s it. Things change in different seasons of life and not every day sticks strictly to that schedule, but that is how we aim to structure our day these days.
Rebecca