This past week I heard the testimony of a Godly mother and grandmother as she shared with a group the ways to maintain peace in the home. She talked about how easily little issues like bad attitudes, disorganization, or late night unfinished homework panic attacks can adversely affect our home life. She asked the group…
How do wildfire fighters control a blaze?
They cut a perimeter to control the fire.
Routines, habits, and rules are all a type of “perimeter” or “boundary” which helps families run smoother as school begins. They create a safety zone and structure within the home, and they keep the ‘smaller fires’ from expanding to deadly destructive blazes.
Boundaries keep us from losing control of our schedules, our safety, and our sanity. As moms and CEOs of our home, we have the incredible opportunity to create strong and significant boundaries so that our children can thrive. Establishing boundaries also helps to build strong, godly character and habits in our kids, which will set them up for a successful adulthood.
As the school year approaches, and while our children are young, it is essential that we help set up and create strong family boundaries in our home. With only a few days left till the first day of classes, there are a few simple things mom can do to help the school year run smoothly.
Steps to cutting a perimeter in your home and protecting small fires from growing into catastrophic events with these easy steps…
Set up an emergency meal plan – double recipes each time you cook and freeze the extra. This will save you on those evenings when projects are due the next day. Example Emergency meal plans should be simple and easy. For example:
- Sunday – Crockpot
- Monday – chicken night
- Tuesday – beef night
- Wed – fish night
- Thursday – pasta night
- Friday – Vegetarian
- Saturday – MUSTGO soup (i.e. “leftovers” everything in the fridge “Must Go!” ) or Family Grill Day. Our family loves hamburgers on Saturdays!
This emergency meal planning is simple and easy. if you stock the main ingredients in your freezers, then you can whip up a quick meal without having to do take out every night. Nothing will set tempers ablaze like a hungry / grumpy crew!
Teach your kids to cook – assign them one night per week to feed the family. Give them a budget, let them choose the recipe, and keep it simple.
Organize their school clothes for the week. Sometime over the weekend this one preventative action will keep the family calm and on a strict routine those early mornings for school.
Set up a Mommy Command Center in your home. Let this be a “no kid” zone where you can keep things in order. Teach your kids to respect the Mommy Spot so you can keep track of things like bills, release forms, field trip info, etc.
Create a Toddler Activity Box – pull it out only when the older kids are doing homework.
Have a designated laundry basket for school unifoms. When they come home, train them to take off their uniforms in the laundry room and place it in the designated basket.
Print off a list of TOP TEN list of crockpot meals.
Buy yourself back some time by visiting the local warehouse club and investing in a large package of paper bowls, plates, and cups. This expense is buying you extra TIME at home to help your child with homework as needed.
A few other tips in creating family boundaries:
- Create a ‘conflict free’ zone at the dinner table.
- Don’t stay up late on a school night
- Do eat nutritious foods.
- Don’t overcommit – Work on protecting your weekends and evenings with the family.
- Do discuss family tensions and seek to reconcile differences daily.
- Teach your children show honor, love, and kindness to every family member.
Boundaries, or safety zones, are one way to protect your family. However, knowing the One who gave us life, is the best protection and provision for family peace in this chaotic and wonderful world we live in.
Psalm 84:5 “Blessed are those whose strength is in you.”
For more practical helps with building good habits and strong character in your kids, check out the GREAT Kindle book 20 Days to Building a Stronger Character in your Kids.
Laundry Mom~Erin♥
