5.6.15

Organised Parent or Relaxed and Wild?

How organised a parent are you? A conversation amongst some other parents today made me wonder. By nature I'm a laid back hippy kind of person, stuff happens, I worry about it when it does and I live a lot of my life unplanned and just thinking 'what's the worst that can happen?'

When Dd was a baby I breastfed and so I was able to leave the house without a range of baby things, just a folding change mat and a spare nappy (not for a trip lasting less than an hour) and maybe a small pack of baby wipes. As DD got older I had to stash potties around the house and took one in the car, but I always forgot snacks (boobs were hard to forget you see!) and drinks, so I often had to buy them out.

*shrug* but whats the worst that can happen?
What's the worst that can happen?
 My husband is totally the opposite, he likes to plan everything for the whole day with timings and disaster plans and plan b's and plan c's in case plan b fails. (this may explain why I love festivals and camping and he doesn't)

When DD started school we started using the calendar a lot more to mark everything from parent teacher meetings to dentist check ups to picnic dates with friends. But DH ever the organised one still feared we might miss something so we also have a whiteboard in the kitchen to write down everything that is happening in the week. We consult the calendar on a Sunday and fill it in.
Mr TM - taking control of the ship

We add what everyone is doing so that adding in new things can be planned around events already booked. For example, on an average week the planner will have DD's music lessons, after school clubs, days she is out with friends, the car MOT, a Drs appt, a reminder to put the bins out, dates homework is due in (by subject), library books due back, an inset day, a half day I've booked as annual leave, a day I'll be late home due to a meeting etc etc

And I confess it does help! We rarely miss things, or double book. Forms are sent in on time for school and we don't get library book fines.

My husband is a SAHD so this also means fabulous home planning! Shopping done, washing all sorted, school uniform washed and dried and ready for Monday, lawns mowed...

But are we over organised? I think I'm starting to feel weird, like the dreaded 'perfect parent' that the internet sneers so hard at. And I can't even take the credit really! It's all down to DH and his planning skills. Maybe because I have to be organised at work I tend to be less organised at home (I doubt it, I think it's just me)

So tell me - are we over planning? Are you already vomiting into a bowl? Do you plan things? Or are you a chaotic house of lost shoes and missing school bags (no judgement, what ever works for you!) I'd love to know, please add a comment below.

And no, you can't have him, I saw him first.

2 comments:

  1. Angela Harffy5/6/15

    Let's face it, you married someone like your mother, what more can I say?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Korhomme5/6/15

    When I had to care for the 4 kids by myself for extended periods (it's a long story, don't ask) I used to print out a weekly calendar from Outlook so that I could remember where I was supposed to be. How sad is that?

    ReplyDelete

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