Help with the mental load - managing kids schedules

amother

Fri, Sep 08 2023, 12:09 pm

My life has been really simple til now. Kids on bus to school or playgroup on my corner. Dentist every 6 months, doctor as needed.

All of a sudden this year, I tons to manage. I have 2 different schools and 1 different playgroup, all ending at different times and on different schedules. One kid is getting intense services - 4 providers in school.

2 kids have after school programs or services which is amazing and so needed but more people to schedule, communicate with and manage.

One day I realized that I needed an hours care for a kid who finished earlier than I thought, (I wasn't in town that day) and it took my whole morning to coordinate care for that hour.

I need to get better at this!
How do you manage?

Dh is not involved in any of this. I'm in touch and coordinating everything.
Kids are little (6 and under) although 6 year old can read and use a calendar.

Two kids go on the same bus. Then playgroup drop-off.
One kid comes home 4:30 on bus
One kid needs to get picked up 3pm across town
Playgroup pickup is 2:30 (I'm paying for aftercare til 3:30 just to buy a window of time, ie either I do playgroup pickup or school pickup first)

-I do schedule everything into my calendar
-I just ordered a big whiteboard for the fridge
-I do grocery delivery

How do I manage, organize, or otherwise alleviate the mental load of managing everyone's lives bc it's too much for me

amother

Tangerine

Sat, Sep 09 2023, 10:16 pm

I'm in the same position, I find it gets harder every year as the kids grow and new arrangements need to be made. I learned the hard way that the first few weeks of school need to be completely focused on establishing routine, I cook supper for the freezer or buy takeout, I get extra cleaning help etc. Whatever I need to be able to settle us into the new groove.
I print everyone's school calendars and bus schedules and have them on the fridge, I have alarms on my phone for leaving work, checking the bus tracking etc.

The biggest thing is just knowing that this is normal and you will adjust, just let yourself live in the hectic chaos of this adjustment for a few weeks and know it will settle

amother

Candycane

Sat, Sep 09 2023, 10:43 pm

I have a whole bunch more kids than you...doesn't get easier. Managing everyone's schedules who needs to go where and when be picked up where and when it's literally a full time job. I dont work but I never have a spare min. Also I find if I don't check my kids school chats and class chats promptly I fall behind in all the things the kids need. I am glued to my phone just for purposes of managing kids lives. It's no fun.

amother

Sat, Sep 09 2023, 10:45 pm

amother Candycane wrote:

Ughh yes it's a full time job! I need to actually work! I hope things settle in but until they do...