Anybody use Managers of their Homes?

[dasilva324]

Someone shared this resource with me but I can't seem to find a sample of it on the internet. Does anyone use it? Is it helpful? We homeschool and are expecting our 4th child in October...I'm feel like I need a better grip on our daily schedule and was looking for something to help me with that.

[Joanne]

Someone shared this resource with me but I can't seem to find a sample of it on the internet. Does anyone use it? Is it helpful? We homeschool and are expecting our 4th child in October...I'm feel like I need a better grip on our daily schedule and was looking for something to help me with that.

 

I used the homeschooling schedule and planning part. I remember that years as being organized and successful. I used the basic principles of that scheduling every year after.

 

Having to think of what each individual family member needs to do or accomplish was very helpful. I recommend the program for homeschooling mothers of more than one child.

 

I hated the parenting advice, and I've heard and read some icky theology stuff since then.

[kchara]

I use it, more or less. We have tweaked it to fit our family a bit. I don't do 1/2 hour blocks for most things, for example, and I don't use the chart they have. The little sticky things were just too much, and they kept falling apart, so I make a color coded chart on Excel and use that.

 

Managers of their Chores was another great resource, but, again, I had to tweak it some. ;-) Most people I know who use Titus2 stuff end up readjusting it to their families, they're not super strict about it.

[BlsdMama]

I thought it was beneficial.

 

I will say that I plan differently than Teri Maxwell, but the book was great. I can't run my house by 30 minute increments without feeling rushed or behind or frustrated with interruptions so we plan our day without times for most things but only "markers" like what to get done by naptime at 1:00.

 

With many littles it's good to have a written plan, but I've found that with many littles you have many UNPLANNED interruptions - diaper changes, potty training, discipline issues to deal with, spills and messes to clean up, etc. :D Phonics might take you ten minutes one day and forty the next! It worked better for ME to just plan phonics, followed by X, followed by X. The children quickly learn the routine without the stress of a schedule.

 

That said, the book was VERY helpful in learning how to have older children direct smaller children for short periods of time, see other family's schedules, see the necessity of making menus, cleaning lists, etc. It was a great hands on TOOL to be used by our family in the way that worked best for us. So, yes, it was worthwhile, but keep in mind you don't have to think of it as a "How To" manual as much as a "Try This" suggestion book.

[LidiyaDawn]

It didn't work for us. I couldn't even get off the ground with it because one of the first things it wants you to do is sit down and list out EXACTLY what you (and everyone else) have to do each day and how long it takes. I'm *terrible* at estimating time (always late for everything) and we often don't know exactly what we're doing from one day to the next. :p

 

When I ordered the book, I thought that the answer to the stress I'd been feeling was to get on some kind of strict schedule… I was wrong. The answer was to let go of the idea that I needed to have this perfectly run household, everyone following a timetable, run like a little military camp.

 

Nowadays.. stuff gets done. Eventually. :laugh: (hey, there's a new baby in the house!)

 

Really though - I found that once I started accepting that I'm just not that type-A kind of person [i. can. not. organize. for the life of me], and that our kids are individuals with their own distinct sleep/eat/active patterns.. things got smoother.

 

I'd offer ya the darn book but I lost the "stuff" that goes with it (see above comment about organizing?!) -- there's chart things and various papers that are needed to follow it. Haven't got a fluffy clue where they've gone.

 

I know there are some blogs out there with pictures of their schedule charts and reviews of the books because I remember looking at them… if I can find them, I'll come back and post links.

[milovany]

I bought it many, many years ago, read it, and realized that's not how we roll (scheduling every 15 minutes nearly every day for every person). So I sold it. It's pretty intense.