Some days you just wake up with a sense of happy anticipation – like something wonderful is going to happen. And nothing seems to be able to dampen your spirits. Not cranky kids, not the power cut in the gym, not the fact that the husband has to travel… Nothing.
Feeling very inspired and determined to hold on to this feeling I went over the day trying to identify possible trouble areas.
One of the most testing times of my day, I realised, is when the kids get back from school. They are tired and probably hungry, yet are bursting with things to tell… both of them simultaneously. I have a hard time keeping up two full fledged often very different conversations.
Then there’s the issue of lunch. For me the top priority is that they get cleaned up and get to their lunch/snack FAST, since it’s four by the the time the bus drops them. For them that’s about 100th on the list.
I end up hurrying them, barking out a bunch of instructions which seem like an unending list – a huge and painful one at that. They dawdle and bicker and end up in tears.
A few days back a friend shared the idea of having a task checklist. Well I decided to come up with mine….. with an incentive too.
4 days gone .. so what are the ticks looking like 🙂
All the best with it though and have you thought of the prizes you going ot give 🙂
Bikram's
Better than I expected Bikram. They faltered only on one day when N has hurt herself on the bus and so couldn't do everything.
For me, Check list never work! I enjoy making one but that's the extent! I don't know why but I never seem to stick to it 😛
Heh heh.. Yes making is the easy part, sticking to it is the tough one!
Maybe I need to do this for my 13 yr old!! I can't seem to train him to remember so I go on and on like a broken record 🙂
We make them for ourselves too Nupur, so I guess they'd work at any age. Try it.
A neat idea Tulika! I would love to hear how this goes…all the best! Waiting for day 10 report 🙂
Me too Aditi. Results will be out soon.
A wonderful idea to teach them organisational skills, Tulika!
Keeping my fingers crossed Michelle and hoping this works.
What a great idea! The kids feel motivated to complete their tasks and put a tick in the box. Mommy gets a clean room and babies 🙂
If only it were that simple Sulekha! But you are right.. That's the idea.
I like your idea of a gift after a tick in each column for ten straight days! You could even have small gifts for 9/10 and 8/10.
The value of task checklists is realised only after implementing the idea. My service team introduced the concept of Preventive Maintenance Schedules (Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly and Annual, each consisting of a list of small tasks) for our customers' machines. This had never been done in our industry in India. The customers were sceptical about the idea, but they went along just to humour us. A year later, when we proved to them that the machines maintained by us had much fewer breakdowns than other machines which did not have the Preventive Maintenance Schedules, they decided to introduce Preventive Maintenance Schedules for those machines also.
Hey that's a good idea. A smaller gift for being 'almost there'. Great experiment there PI. Checklists do keep track better.
I love your list. Lists worked a treat with my kids. Hope their enthusiasm doesn't dampen. Good one.
Thanks Suzy.
LOVE this list, I just might get "inspired" by it too :). Thank you Tulika!!
Take In up Aparna. I pick any tool I see for that peace of mind.
What a great idea! Hope they take to it and keep it up. The incentives should help. ☺
Touch wood to that Debbie.
Checklists work for me too. They ease the tension and allow me to sleep in peace.
Absolutely. They make sure you forget nothing.
I love lists! I live for them. And the magnetic responsibility chart has been a lifesaver for me where GY is concerned. Good going, Tulika. I hope that they come around to the idea soon and make it all worth your while 🙂
Me too, Shailaja. So need the after-school peace.
Loved this very creative and liked the way you have prioritized the various tasks. A great idea! Looking forward to see who won the gifts at the end of the week! 🙂
Oh they'll both get there ultimately, or so I hope.