Rhythmically Challenged

Ah yes, the family rhythm. The steady peaceful drumbeat of childhood. The bedrock of consistency that is supposed to make your family feel secure and run like a well oiled machine. There are many versions of it. The classic of course is:
                                   Wash on Monday, Iron on Tuesday, Mend on Wednesday, Market on Thursday,
Clean on Friday, Bake on Saturday, Rest on Sunday

In our home it's more like, "Oh crap it's Tuesday? Why didn't anyone tell me?! Hurry and get dressed we're late for (insert commitment here)."
 
I have seen many-o-blog display these beautifully simple weekely rhythm charts outlining mornings full of meaningful parent-child bonding, followed by wholesome meal preparation, and blissful afternoons with the words "quiet time" inked in a two hour block (who are these mythical children who actually become quiet on a set schedule and why aren't we cloning them?)
 
I thought about a weekly rhythm chart. I even wrote out some ideas and talked it over with Zach. But in the end it's just not who we are. We're not good at repetitive tasks. We stink at schedules. We love the friend who calls and says, "Hey meet us in the park in 10 minutes." YES. We're there. Planning a lesson for the day on mammals? Forget it! But if they boy starts to ask me about Horatio Nelson over breakfast... BAM! We're off and spending the whole day in Britsh Naval history land.

Of course it's all jaunty and romantic to imagine a life lived completely by the seat of one's pants, but the reality is we do have appointments and classes and events on our calendar (wait, did somebody flip the month on the calendar yet?) And while we like to play it by ear, that can often lead to the butting of heads when a certain 6 year old is deep in make believe land and I need to get some grocery shopping done. And even though we lean heavily into the unschooling camp, we tend to get topic-ADD. After checking out every book in the library on cheetahs, he tells me he wants to learn about Saudi Arabia instead. Or after playing outside with friends until way after dark, a certain little boy comes in and asks for a movie night at 9:30pm.

So here's what's working for us. We sat down and created little cards with the hodge podge of activities that might make up our day. And we keep them in a wee basket in the main salon.

Each morning we both pick out and clip on the things we want and need to get done that day. Some days I actaully have to clip up "eat" and "get dressed", becasue yes there have been times where neither of those things happen until way too late in the day. And sometimes I lay out a full plate of things to do. And sometimes Zach picks all of the cards for the day.

And sometimes we go for days not remembering we have the darn cards at all. And that's ok too. They're there when we need them and can nicely be ignored when we're chasing the wind. It's just how we roll here.