Top scheduling tips for moms

By Molly Gold

You can conquer scheduling in a snap with a daily planner as the cornerstone of your plan. Follow these five tips as you put your planner into use and you will rule your world from the bleachers to the backyard!

Use one calendar system that includes worksheets and special interest sections. Your planner is the roadmap to success because its portable and comprehensive format enables tracking of all family member schedules in one place. Time to throw away all the post-it notes and wall calendars. Think weekly for the details, monthly for an overview of big impact events, like a holiday or travel.

Take your calendar everywhere. Stay on top of the game by carrying a calendar system at all times. Coordinate schedules as needed and work new events into the big picture. Gone are the days of missed doctors appointments made six months ago or play dates made in passing in the schoolyard. By having your system on hand, you'll review before you commit and remember events when the time comes.

Have a central clearinghouse for information at home. Have all family members use an in-box to place important papers. This is your launching pad to success. Review this box daily to update your calendar system. Next, file all paperwork in activity specific folders by family member, such as Dad church, Joey school or Mary soccer. The key benefit here - no more refrigerator clutter. Keep it clean for the important things, such as artwork.

Use activity reference sheets for each family member. After mapping out Mary's activities, transfer all time commitments and deadlines to your weekly calendar. These schedules provide an overview of the week and offer direction on how to commit everyone accordingly. Thus your thinking goes from an individual to group perspective. Meet with your partner once a week to synch these schedules between work and home.

Make the excitement of a busy household work to your advantage. Be in two places at once by joining a carpool with other activity participants. When those busy afternoons arise, start off at one event and end up at the other, relying on carpools to safely transport your kids in your absence. You are in for the ride of your life so enjoy it!

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GO MOM !NC Founder, Molly Gold, is a 40-year-old mother of three and the creator of The GO MOM!^® product line. Gold is known for her keen insights into Family Scheduling and has been featured both in print and on air media alike. Gold currently serves on Proctor & Gamble's Mr. Clean Team Expert Panel, Cartoon Network's Tickle U Advisory Board and as Family Scheduling Expert at both www.BlueSuitMom.com, and www.NewBaby.com. Gold's work has most recently been featured on NBC's Today Show Weekend Edition, as a contributing author in the newly released, The Experts Guide to the Baby Years, by Samantha Ettus, Women's Health Magazine, and in the February 2007 Family Fun Magazine.