How to Juggle Multiple Children

The secret to juggling multiple children is to be proactive. ‘Winging it’ and reacting to your day is most likely going to cause even more work than if you took a minimal amount of time to plot out your movements. Juggling is less about being fast and more about knowing where all the pieces are at any given time and knowing where they are going to be. When juggling multiple children, the same concept applies. It’s not about speed, it’s about precision.

Step 1. Plan to Plan – One of the reasons parents don’t plan ahead of time is because ‘they don’t have time’. Like anything worthwhile budget out fifteen minutes once a week, say on a Sunday evening, to plan the routine. Try to do it after the kids are in bed and sometime before you start to fade out.

Once a normal routine is set, you will find that this weekly time is important and valued.

Step 2. Write it Out – A good plan is one that everybody can see and understand. For this reason, it is best if the plan is not in solely in your head but is written down where everyone has access to it. A two foot by three foot dry erase board with the days of the week written across the top will provide a visual and constant reminder for the family schedule. Kids who know their routine will get into the habit of reminding you of the routine.

Step 3. Follow Through – A plan is no good unless it is followed. This does not mean that you cannot change the plan, but if you become slack on posting the plan or fail to plan for two or three weeks in a row, then you run the risk of slipping back into old habits. Make a plan. Stick to the plan. Hold the children accountable for their piece of the plan.

Step 4. Bring Food – If this sounds an awful lot like moving an army, then you are starting to get the idea. An army moves on its stomach and so does a brood of kids. Well fed children are less cranky children, so be sure to feed the group whether or not they claim to be hungry. Snacks en route to and from destinations will keep the troops in line, though you may want to make sure you have a trash back for your mobile recyclables.

Remember, juggling multiple children is less about how fast you are or how good you can recall events from your memory and more about careful, methodical and regular planning. Take the time to plot out your movements on a calendar and you will reap the benefits of a less hectic pace.