Family Matters

A family is like a business. It requires organization and delegation to be productive and efficient! Love can be more challenging when family life becomes harried. To help you give your children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews the kind of love and attention they deserve, use the following lists to get the most out of family life: responsibility lists/charts, babysitter instructions/info, activity lists, lists to help you prepare for a baby, and more.

 PET

• PET CARE INSTRUCTIONS -- Whether leaving your pet(s) in the care of someone else for the day or for longer periods of time, be sure the caregiver is aware of your pet(s) health, habits, and schedules.
• PET HEALTH JOURNAL -- Never wonder how long it has been between vet visits or what vaccinations or procedures were performed at the last visit.  Keep track of all of your pet(s)visits to the vet here.

FAMILY

• DAILY REMINDERS -- This planning page helps everyone remember what they need to grab, pack, or prepare before they leave the house today.  Fill in the date under each day of the week, then just scan across to quickly be reminded that today is library day for Sue, P.E. day for Henry, and Daddy needs to pick up his dry cleaning.  Hang on a cork tile located right next to the door.
• VISITS FROM THE TOOTH FAIRY -- If a visit from the tooth fairy is a big deal in your house, be sure to record those precious moments here.  With so many teeth at so young an age, you are bound to forget some of the details if you don't write it down.
• VISITS TO THE DENTIST -- To keep those little pearly whites. . .uh, pearly white, keep track of procedures and comments from the dentist.
• OUR FAMILY'S DAILY SCHEDULE -- A great page to use to give your family a daily routine that you can stick to.  Also handy if you are leaving children with hubby or grandparents and need to convey the daily schedule. 
• KID'S MEAL OPTIONS -- Need a quick reference of the foods that your children will actually eat?  Or maybe if convenience foods are easy because you can't think of anything good, use this page as a handy reminder of healthier possibilities.
• COMPUTER USAGE RULES -- Place this page in a prominent spot near your computer.  Be sure to go over the rules for computer time with your children.  Also, list the sites that have your seal of approval.
• THOUGHTFUL THURSDAYS -- Plan out a month's worth of ways of being thoughtful to those around you. 
• HOME FIRE SAFETY PLANNING -- Now has never been a better time to discuss your family's plan for evacuation in the case of a fire.  Use thispage to arm yourself with the confidence that you and your loved ones will be ready should the unthinkable happen.
• GROWTH TRACKER -- Continue to track your child's growth past when all the baby books have stopped recording.
• MEDICATIONS TRACKER  -- Whether for your child, your elderly parent, your pet, or yourself, never lose track of what medications are needed to stay healthy and safe.
• CALENDAR -- A blank calendar page for all of your appointments, meetings, schedules, events.  See this page on the Shopping page for a Laminated version.
• RESPONSIBILITY LIST (Infant/Toddler) -- Suggested list of tasks for even the littlest ones.  Train a child early on to believe that they are an essential member of the family.
• RESPONSIBILITY LIST (Preschooler) -- Suggested list of tasks for those Little Big Kids. Preschoolers love helping out!
• RESPONSIBILITY LIST (Gradeschooler) -- Suggested list of tasks for the Bigger Kids who possess a lot of energy and enthusiasm even when it may be disguised for lethargy and lack of motivation.
• RESPONSIBILITY LIST (Tween) -- Suggested list of tasks for those crucial years between childhood and the teenage years.
• RESPONSIBILITY LIST (Teen) -- Suggested list of tasks for preparing yourself and your teen to be out in the world on their own! 
• RESPONSIBILITIES (Weekly) -- This is just another way to organize weekly chores.  Fill in your own ideas for tasks around the house.
• RESPONSIBILITY CHART -- For those who prefer to delegate chores by day of the week.
• CAUGHT YA! (BEING GOOD) -- Remember the good stuff, too!  Reward kind actions and obedient behavior.
• BABYSITTER INFORMATION -- Keep track of availability, pay rate, personal comments, and phone #s of past and potential babysitters.
• BABYSITTER INSTRUCTIONS -- Knowing that your babysitter has a plan for dinner, knows the bedtime routine, knows which shampoo to use on which child, that Johnny can't go to sleep without his pup-pup will give you peace of mind on your much-deserved evening out.
• BABYSITTER QUICK LIST -- Keep all of your babysitters' essential information on one page so that getting a last minute sitter will not be such a challenge.
• GRANDPARENT INSTRUCTIONS -- Though they may love your child like you do, they might not do things like you would do. . .so write it down!
• POTTY TRAINING -- Steps to keep in mind during this intense and trying, but eventually liberating, time.
• ACTIVITIES QUICK LIST (Infant) -- Fill in your own ideas and favorites for keeping your baby busy and happy.
• ACTIVITIES QUICK LIST (Toddler) -- Fill in your own ideas and favorites for keeping your little climber busy and happy.
• ACTIVITIES QUICK LIST (Preschooler) -- Fill in your own ideas and favorites for keeping your little sponge of information busy and happy.
• ACTIVITIES QUICK LIST (Gradeschooler) --  Fill in your own ideas and favorites for keeping your curious child busy and happy.
• ACTIVITIES QUICK LIST (Tween) -- Fill in your own ideas and favorites for keeping your restless kid busy and happy.
• ACTIVITIES QUICK LIST (Teen) -- Fill in your own ideas and favorites for keeping your on-the-go kid busy and happy.
• ACTIVITIES QUICK LIST (Generic) -- Fill in your own ideas and favorites for keeping the child(ren) in your life busy and happy.
• COOPERATION ACTIVITIES -- If you find yourself constantly sending embattled siblings off to their room to "separate", next time try one of these activities to promote cooperation and teamwork.
• DINNERTIME CONVERSATION QUICK LIST -- Your family makes a special effort to eat together during the week.  Don't let fighting or ants-in-the-pants ruin a special time for bonding.
• DINNERTIME CONVERSATION QUESTIONS -- Here are some suggestions to get you started communicating with your family at mealtime.  Record your family's answers and save for future reference!

BABY

• MEDICAL VISITS (PREGNANCY) -- Perfect for recording your monthly, semi-monthly, and weekly visits to the doctor during your pregnancy.

• PACKING YOUR HOSPITAL BAG (LABOR) -- A handy list that will help you remember the important things to take with you as you deliver your new baby.
• PACKING YOUR HOSPITAL BAG (POSTPARTUM) -- A handy list that will help you remember the important things to take with you as you prepare to bring home baby.
• BABY NAME FAVORITES -- Keep track of all those names that you've been tossing around.
• GROWTH TRACKER -- Track your baby's growth and progress in those first months of rapid changes.

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