“I didn’t know the kids had practice at 7. What are we gonna do for dinner? Are you driving them or am I?”
“Mom, today is ‘blue shirt day!'” (10 minutes before walking out the door to head to school).
“We should really start our shopping for Emma’s birthday. It’s less than two weeks away!”
Any of these sound familiar? You’re going through your already busy week when — BAM! You’re reminded by your spouse, or your kids, or a small voice inside your head that you’ve overlooked, forgotten, or simply not given enough attention to something.
And now this small oversight has created extra stress for you and your family.
So, what’s the solution? How can we prevent this?
The Weekly Planning Meeting
What Does It Look Like?
My husband and I were finding that as our kids were getting older, our lives were getting busier. And we needed to do something to keep up.
So, we added this quick “meeting” to our routine.
Our weekly planning meeting takes place on Sunday nights after the kids are in bed. My husband and I have an actual calendar appointment in our phones, and we work hard to protect this time.
When the time rolls around, we grab our calendars and plop down on the couch. We take turns (I usually go first since my schedule is more “family heavy”) and go through each day of the following week, giving a quick overview of anything out of the ordinary.
Items of Discussion
- Kids’ appointments (doctor, dentist, eye, therapies, etc.)
- Special themed or dress up days at school/preschool
- Family obligations
- Extra or “fun” things we have planned or want to plan (ex: going to a movie, having friends over for dinner, an upcoming trip, etc.)
- Shopping or upcoming purchases that involve both of us
We pause frequently to talk through the tasks associated with each item. For instance, if he has an early morning meeting on Tuesday, he’ll let me know that he can’t do school drop off and I’ll need to adjust my morning. Or, I’ll remind him that we’ll be at swimming lessons late on Thursday so he’ll need to start dinner when he gets home.
These meetings are quick, to the point, and only take about 10 minutes.
Benefits of a Weekly Planning Meeting
Don’t let their short length fool you. These meetings pack a big punch when it comes to benefits. A more organized home, better communication, less stress, less confusion, more efficiencies, I could go on and on.
But my favorite perk of this weekly habit? Less arguments!
Now, we very rarely say to each other, “I could have swore I told you that!” or, “Didn’t you know? It’s been in our calendar for a month!”
I’m also a firm believer that you and your spouse are a team. So when you work together on your family’s schedule, it’s bound to run more smoothly.
Make It Your Own
Of course, this meeting will look different in your home and that’s perfectly fine. Find a format (and time of the week) that works best for you.
Also, depending on the age of your kids, you may want to have them join as well. When our kids are older, I’d love to start including them so that they’re in the loop and can practice their independence with schedules, responsibilities, and the like.
It also helps to make quick notes throughout the week as you think of things you want to chat about at your next meeting. (You can do this right in the phone calendar appointment itself.)
So I challenge you to start carving out time each week for this. I’m confident that it will set your family up for a great week, while also saving you from extra stress and wasted time. And who doesn’t want that?
Looking for more ways to organize your family’s schedule? Check out our post Getting on the Same Page: A Guide to Family Planners.
