Scheduling and Time Management Molly Gold, Founder of GO MOM !NC, is the creator of The GO MOM!® Planner, the ultimate catch-all day planner for everything that is family. Molly is recognized as an expert on scheduling issues unique to moms. "I never know the activities in advance" Question: I never seem to be able to get a handle on my kids activities. I find out about Friday's school play Thursday night. Help! - Marie Answer: Isn't it interesting that once you become a mom, you are automatically entered into the multi-tasking contest of your life. It starts in infancy with basic physical needs and demands for both mother and child and once we hit elementary school, the real mayhem begins! Not everyone is blessed with a natural talent to follow more than one path at a time, but family life requires that we stumble along as best we can. So try these steps to assist you in knowing when and where your kids are and need to be. Step 1: Meet with your child's teacher at the beginning of each semester to open and reinforce lines of communication. Each teacher is unique in his or her own style of relaying important information from classroom to parent. Know if you have a daily verbal direction teacher that sends information through the kids or if you have one who communicates weekly by newsletter. Daily verbal requires you to check in with your child every day and ask, "Do you have any instructions from Ms. Reedy?" Weekly newsletter requires you to know which day that letter comes home and that you read it thoroughly and mark your planner accordingly. Step 2: Use one calendar system for everyone's schedules. This provides an overview for your week and incorporates each individual into your plan. Consult your school calendar and transfer all important dates onto your personal planner. This covers not only holidays, but teacher work days and any school activities like Back-to-School Night or Holiday Concerts. Most school districts plan ahead quite thoroughly, so use that to your advantage, and you'll be prepared too! Remembering everything can be overwhelming and is a key component for all moms to feel success. Using a time management tool like a planner will enable you to forget when you plan ahead. Use this tool as it is intended, to act as your catch all for details that you need to know periodically. Record information as you receive it and as it changes. Each day you begin prepared for what lies ahead, having an itinerary of who, what, when and where. Each week you begin with an overview of events with reminders for those that require assistance, like costumes, cookies or simply attendance with a smile of support and love. You'll be amazed at how much more you'll remember when you allow yourself to forget! Also see: Ask Molly your questions Recently answered questions Buy the GO MOM!® Planner