So, I’ve been messing around with this whole “family organizer” thing, and let me tell you, it’s been a journey. The title, “..and mother makes five,” is kinda cheesy, I know, but it fits! We’ve got my partner, the two kids, the dog…and then there’s me, trying to keep it all from spiraling into chaos.
Getting Started (aka The “Why Did I Think This Was a Good Idea?” Phase)
It all started with a mountain of sticky notes, missed appointments, and one too many “Oops, I forgot!” moments. I figured there had to be a better way. I’m no tech whiz, but I can handle a spreadsheet, right? Wrong. So, so wrong.
First, I tried one of those shared online calendars. It was…okay. But getting everyone to actually use it? Like pulling teeth. The kids “forgot” to add their stuff, my partner kept double-booking, and the dog…well, he just chewed on the actual paper calendar I still had hanging on the fridge (for backup, obviously).
The Spreadsheet Saga (and Why I Almost Gave Up)
Then came the spreadsheet phase. Oh, the spreadsheet. I spent hours color-coding, creating drop-down menus, and generally feeling like a super-organized genius. For about five minutes. Then real life happened. Soccer practice got rescheduled, the dog had a vet appointment, and suddenly my beautiful spreadsheet was a jumbled mess of conflicting information.
- Column 1: Date (duh)
- Column 2: Time (also duh)
- Column 3: Event (soccer, dentist, world domination…you know, the usual)
- Column 4: Who’s Involved? (This is where the color-coding came in…it was pretty, I’ll give it that.)
- Column 5: Notes (Because “dentist” doesn’t tell you which kid is screaming bloody murder this time.)
It quickly becomes a mess, and then I give up on the whole spreadsheet thing after, like, a week.
Finding Something that (Sort Of) Works!
After nearly throwing my computer out the window, I stumbled upon this app. I won’t shill for any company name, no links here, and to be honest, it isn’t a miracle, and i’m not sure any actually exist! But it’s…better. It lets everyone have their own login, syncs with our phones, and even sends reminders (which, surprisingly, people actually pay attention to!).
We’ve been using it for a few months now, and it’s definitely an improvement. There are still occasional hiccups, but overall, things are…calmer. The kids are (mostly) where they’re supposed to be, my partner hasn’t missed any crucial meetings (yet), and the dog…well, he still eats paper, but at least it’s not the schedule anymore.
So, yeah, “..and mother makes five” is a work in progress. It’s messy, it’s imperfect, but it’s our mess, and we’re figuring it out, one reminder at a time. I even keep some pencial and paper notes near the computer as a backup.
