We've all heard of Back to School, but occassionally I go "Back to Schedule"!

Today is that day for me. I've been having urges to recreate our schedule, but the final straw was really the dog. She keeps pooping in our closet. It's totally gross and it's because we don't get her out first thing in the morning. When talking to the kids and warning them that we'd get rid of the dog if this kept up, I realized it was MY fault. Yes, the dog is THEIR responsibility, but I was not keeping and enforcing a schedule to help them remember. 

So I got up today at around 6am and took out my trusty Managers of Their Homes (MOTH) book again. (www.titus2.com).  I worked out a tentative schedule for each member of the household - tentative because it takes a few days to really nail it down. It's a balance of what you want/should be doing and what has become a natural rythm for your family. 

I sat the kids down and explained that I'd been lax and we were getting back on track. They took it well. I told them to do their lists and their chores (list is their morning to do list including personal care) and then to meet me at the kitchen table at 9am.

We had a morning Bible time for the first time in years, I'm sad to say! We read, discussed and memorized. I decided to make it easy on myself and start with Proverbs since there's one for every day of a month. We did Proverbs 24: 1-3. We memorized verse 3 which reads, "By wisdom a house is built, by understanding it is established." We used hand gestures, and the kids memorized it really quickly. We spent less than a half hour (and that was taking time for instructions on behavior I expected during this time). 

The kids were really into this. Next I told them to finish up any of their list and chores not done and they could have free play outside until 10am when they need to do some school work. 

I'm excited, and happy with the progress several hours into this :-) and I'll keep this journal to discuss how it goes.