Color Code Your Blended Family World!

We have five kids in 3 schools. Next fall- it will be 4 different schools. Each week is a challenge to make sure we don't forget an important event in our large, complicated blended family. So- we color code the calendar.

Yearly Scheduling
We purchased a large wall calender and use a different color marker for each child. At the beginning of the school year, we mark each child's school/exam/special events/holidays and other time off- on the calendar. Sometimes the calendar looks more colorful than a coloring book! Summertime and holidays are the most exciting to follow.

Weekly Scheduling
Then, we print a weekly calendar. You can create it on Microsoft Publisher, print it off Outlook, or use many of the other programs available on the Internet. The weekly calendar will print off the events from the yearly calendar and also add detailed information, and additional events. I enjoy putting clipart, photos and various colors on the calendar. This draws the kids attention and encourages their participation in adding events to the calendar.

Weekly Meal Planning and Shopping Guide
We also plan our weekly meals on this calendar. The kids are responsible for telling us if they will be missing a meal (due to their heavy teenage extracurricular activities) and we may switch around an entree or two, if there aren't many kids present at dinner. We also have a couple of frozen "ready made" meals on hand, just in case all the kids are out for the evening, and it's just the two of us. (Although we have been known to sneak out for a quick dinner and a movie!)

We keep a pad on the side of the refrigerator. One side is for the grocery store, the other side is for Wal-Mart. Anyone in the family can add items they need to this list. If someone needs something in the middle of the week, they put it on the list, and it will be purchased the next weekly trip.

Try it out! Color code your world and you'll discover:

• You won't miss any important events
• Your biological and step kids feel special because their events are listed on the calendar
• You don't make 2-3 trips to the grocery store, each week, because you haven't planned out the week

For other tips and advice, check out our website, http://www.blendedfamilyadvice.com/

Shirley

Shirley@BlendedFamilyAdvice.com