Spring Break is right around the corner, and I will be honest I am really looking forward to a week without after-school activities. Don’t get me wrong, I love that my son is interested in trying new things  but it gets to be a real challenge when it comes to scheduling. I don’t understand how Mom’s of more than one child keep up with all the activities. Between homework (yes it is Kindergarten but still), Running Club, Tee Ball and Golf we are all over the place during the week. The Princess is now at the age where she wants to do things too and I seriously wonder how we will be able to do it. I have such an admiration for parents that have multiple kids in different sports/activities and seem to pull it off seamlessly. We are still fairly new to the “activity” game and I am learning every day. Time management is crucial and keeping to a schedule really helps. And as with most things, a little preparation goes a long way. Here are a couple of things that  have worked for us so far.

Since we spend quite a bit of time in the vehicle going to and from all these events I decided I needed a “survival kit” for fussy kiddos. I always hear “Mommy, I’m STARVING!” so I decided to fill a small basket with snacks and mini waters for our little trips. Since everything we do tends to be within a 15 mile radius, we are never too far from a bathroom so I’m not too worried about the liquids. My kids drink like you would not believe so I have to be sure the car drinks are smaller so we aren’t having to make emergency pit stops.

I found these little bins at Target. They were on clearance for $3. They are perfect because they are a canvas-type material that is super-easy to clean. They are pretty too.

We also have a DVD player in the vehicle which is nice when the bickering gets to be too much to take. Did you know that a three-year-old and a six-year-old will go back and forth in an argument (“No it isn’t”. “Yes it is”.) no less than 736 times? Sometimes my “Please stop” just doesn’t cut it. I call on reinforcements in the form of Yo Gabba Gabba DVD’s. I know the phones, iPad’s etc. are good too, but my kids seem to fight over these as well. I think just being in a vehicle makes them combative. So thank you DJ Lance for your help with this.

I have also learned that you must be prepared for baseball fields. Just grabbing my purse that I’ve tossed a couple snacks in does not work. I take a separate bag (that I don’t mind getting dirty) with all the essentials. The Essentials=keeping a three-year-old entertained at a Tee Ball game.

I put snacks, little toys and her Leap Pad in here because apparently watching five and six year olds hit balls, run crazily and otherwise stress out their three grown coaches is just not entertainment to a three-year-old. I’ve also learned not to pack too many liquids for said three-year-old. When I do, I will inevitably hear “Mommy, I’ve gotta go to the bathroom”, RIGHT as Little Man is about to step up to bat. Did I mention that the bathroom is 1/4 mile away from the Tee Ball fields? We are averaging 2.5 trips per game. So no more drinks until after the second inning.

As I mentioned we are still learning but I feel like we are getting better at being prepared. Something as amall as planning ahead can make all the difference.

How do you better manage all the “activities” in your family? Any tips or suggestions?

xo