Youth Sports Weekend: SportyMummy Organisation

One of my aims for this little SportyMummy blog, is to develop a Youth Sports community where parents can support, encourage and motivate each other to support their children’s participation in youth sports. If your children have participated in a youth sport or an active pursuit this week-end, you can link up your post with the linky, found at the end of this post,  and share the fun!

Today I thought that I’d talk a little about the organisation that goes on behind the scenes, as a parent of over-committed active kids!

In our family, like many others, we have a hectic schedule of school, sporting activities, birthday parties and play dates. Sometimes I find it quite a challenge to keep up and on time with it!

Once, when I was trying desperately to register my daughter for a swimming competition a day late, I joked that  “….My children need their own manager…..” To which the club secretary dryly replied, “….That’s your job…”

These are some of the systems I use in attempt to keep in control of all the kids activities.

Command Central

On this white board I write all the necessary information for the upcoming week. Each Sunday night, I help the girls to write on the board what days they need to pack their books for each subject,  library bags, school readers and the like. This systems gives them a little (guided) independence and responsibility for their own equipment at school.

I also write on the board when their after school activities are and weather it will be me or GrumpyDaddy picking them up. On occasion, being parents can sometimes feel a little like two ships passing in the night…..and the white board helps keep us on the same course at least!….

On the right side of the white board, I keep a list of all upcoming activities such as competitions and birthday parties. I also have a box to tick when registrations and RSVP’s are due…I confess that I can be just hopeless with RSVPing on time. This system seems to help make sure I am on time for registering for sporting events and RSVPing in time for parties.

School Shelves

I store all the kids school and lunch supplies in these shelves. The girls can check the board and pack the appropriate items. Having their school items in the shelves means that the bags can be packed without searching under their beds for that missing lid…and finding a 3 day old sandwich….

Laundry and sports bags

I hang all the sports bags on hooks on the laundry. When the clothes have been washed and dried, it is easy to place them back into the corresponding bag. I keep the bags pre-packed and  ready to be grabbed in the inevitable rush on the way out! Because the bags are hung in the laundry, I find it is much easier for the girls to take out their wet towels and dirty and sweaty sports clothes from the bags, place them straight in the hamper and hang their bags on the hooks….this has become a returning home routine in our house!

The reward chart

This year I have been using reward charts to inform, communicate  and monitor their daily tasks. So far, this has been working really well and I can already see good habits starting to form.

That was a snap-shot into the ways I have been trying to bring order to the apparent chaos that usually involves me running around from one sporting activity to the next.....

....Now I just have to work out a way to organise  these!! :)

Do you have any tricks to help with organizing and coordinating a busy family schedule? I would be really interested to hear your ideas in the comments!

As I have decided to make family organisation matter this week, I am linking up with A Parenting Life for me and YOU Making IT Matter. What are YOU going to make matter this week??

You can also add your link below, to share your involvement with youth sports. You never know, perhaps your post will inspire a family to take up a youth sport and get on track to a more active and healthier lifestyle!