This working wife and mom balancing act is exhausting! There are so many people to care for, so many things to do, and so little time. Some days I honestly feel like a secretary and chauffeur. I have to make sure everyone makes it to where they need to go. I have to make sure everyone accomplishes the tasks they need to accomplish. So, how do I keep track of it all? School and regular activities are now back in session for us. We’re getting back into the swing of things. So, I’ll share with you 7 tips for balancing your kids’ activities.

1. Write it all down

This may seem simple, but it’s so helpful. I used to think I could remember things without writing them all down. But, then I realized I suffered from “mommy brain”. I had too many “tabs” open in my brain at one time. Now, once I get a date in my head, I write it down. Whether it’s for me, my husband, or one of the kids. When I get a date I need to remember, I write the date down in my Living Well Spending Less Planner – my centralized place. Once it’s in my written planner, I also save it to our family planning app on my phone. My husband and I share the app, so that we’re both kept up-to-date on what’s going on. Right now we use Planner Pro, and have used Cozi in the past. I think both work well.

At the beginning of the school year, I make a note of any school and after-school activities I know about in advance. This way, they’re all in one spot and easy to keep track of.

At the beginning of each month, I write all of the activities and due dates on a big dry erase calendar hanging in our house. With this, everyone can get the big picture of activities for the month.

Each morning, I write the activities for that day on a smaller dry erase board that everyone can see. This gives a daily reminder on the fridge, and helps us all to make sure we have what’s needed for the day. I also write down what’s for dinner on the daily calendar, to avoid the daily question of “What’s For Dinner?”.

2. Unpack bags nightly

In the past, I would miss out on signing important papers. I would also find out about special events at school at the last minute. This was because these papers and flyers were stuck in my kids’ book bags! I now avoid this by having the kids empty their book bags every night. We sit down and check their planners nightly to make sure all their homework is done. We take out old papers and throw away any trash. I review, sign, and put the papers in their backpacks right away so they don’t get lost. This takes some time with 4 kids (my oldest does it on her own). It makes a huge difference, though. This minimizes the junk in their backpacks and helps to make sure that nothing is missed.

3. Pack the night before

When we’re done with homework and backpacks for the night, they’re placed in a centralized spot. This way, they aren’t forgotten the next day (this has happened!). The kids also unpack and pack their lunchboxes and place them in the fridge for the next morning. Any clothes, shoes, or accessories they need for their after-school activities the next day are also packed. The kids put these extras near their backpacks so they aren’t forgotten. I do the same thing with my purse and whatever I may need the next day.

4. Follow a Sunday, nightly and morning routine

I wrote a post a little while ago about the Sunday, nightly, and morning routines that work best for me. I use these times to prepare. This preparation helps us to make it out of the house on time most mornings. It also helps to make sure everyone has what they need everyday.

5. Limit kid’s activities

Teach your kids the value of pouring their all into one thing they really love. This will help your child to learn and practice as much as they can, and to be the best they can be at something. Of course, there’s a trial and error period when they’re trying to figure out what they really like. But, once they’ve tried a few things, help them to narrow down to only those they really love. Doing this also helps to cut back on the amount of running around and coordinating you have to do – especially if you have more than one child.

6. Share the burden

You can only be in one place at a time. School events and after-school activities may sometimes overlap. As a working mom, it may also be hard to adjust your schedule to make it to every activity. So, have a back-up plan. Have your hubby or another family member chip in. Review your schedule regularly so that you can catch these overlaps and avoid last-minute disappointments.

7. Involve the kids

I used to feel stressed and burdened when I kept all the responsibility of these routines to myself. Then I started listing all of the activities in a centralized place. The kids also started taking an active role in taking care of their backpacks and lunchboxes nightly. This takes a lot of the burden off of me, and made the kids more responsible their own things. If the older kids forget something they need for the day, I no longer feel guilty. They understand the consequence for forgetting. Their assignments aren’t turned in, and they don’t receive credit. If they forget an item for an activity, they activity may not happen that day. It’s a great life lesson. Our kids caught onto this one pretty quickly!

These are a few of the things that help me to maintain balance and keep track of things as a working mom. I hope they’re helpful for you! Following a system every day has really helped me to be more prepared. It may take a little extra time to get some of these things done. But the peace of mind that I get from doing these little tasks, helps me to focus on other, more important things. Here’s to more balance for all of us!

I recommend grabbing my printable Getting Out On Time checklists and timelines as a part of my Balanced Mom Toolbox. It includes checklists for Sunday evening, and weekday morning and evenings. I’ve also included a timeline for your weekday mornings. These have been a lifesaver for our household. You’ll get my completed samples to use as a guideline, and blank templates for you to customize to fit your own needs. You’ll also receive tons of other helpful printables, checklists, and guides to help you organize your life and balance your many roles. Grab yours now!

Do you have any suggestions to add to these 7 Tips For Balancing Your Kids’ Activities? I’d love to hear them. Just leave them in the comments below!

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