A little info about me... I am a 31 year old mother of three (ages 7,5, & 1.) and I am currently in the Residency Program at TCSJ working towards my moderate/severe credential. This means I am busy! Having to juggle 3 kids, residency teaching, classes, household work, homework, and a relationship is a lot. I am going to be sharing my tips and tricks that help keep me on track and grounded while navigating this hectic time in my life.
01. Plan, plan, and plan some more!
Write a rough sketch of what your daily schedule will look like. This needs to include:
-Kids school times (drop off and pick up)
-Partner's schedule
-Your school times
-Placement school times
-TCSJ class times
Once you have an idea of everyone's schedules written out you can start designating who does what.
02. Be organized
I use a planner and color coordinate everything: placement school, TCSJ classes, homework, student ambassador dates, & other (this is used for anything besides my school obligations) each one has a specific highlighter color. This has really helped me be able to glance at my planner and see what I have on my schedule.
03. Seek out Support
Make sure to have a support system in place. I know this can be very difficult with everyone leading such busy lives, but most people are willing to lend a helping hand if you reach out.
A couple tips:
-Have your partner take the kids to the park for a few hours.
-If you don't have family in the area try reaching out to other mom/dad friends. Maybe they can take your kids for a play date so you can have some alone time.
04. Stick to your Schedule
There are seven days in a week and someday is not one of them.
05. Have a set routine with your kids
Keep a strict routine in place to help your kids feel in control and stable during your hectic schedule. This looks like:
-Having the same morning routine (Get up (set time), eat breakfast, brush teeth, get dressed, pack backpacks, get in the car (don't forget your masks!))
-Keep them aware of who is picking them up from school (it changes for us)
-Homework routine (we get 30 mins to relax after school and then we jump into homework)
-Dinner
-Night time routine (showers, pajamas, brush teeth, read a book, bed (set time))
06. Be mindful of yourself
Juggling all of this is difficult. It is so important that we keep our mental and emotional well-being a priority. Make sure to schedule time for yourself and your family so you can reconnect to what is most important in your life.
If you are struggling reach out to TCSJ staff; they are so understanding. From day one Karin, our Residency Coordinator, has let us know she is here to support us. If we need more time on an assignment she is willing to accommodate us, we just need to communicate with her.