It's August - can the Fledglings keep FLYing with children underfoot?!

[BlueEyeshadow]

Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome to August's edition of the Fledgling Flyers,
Meine Damen, Mesdames, Ladies! (although any Herren, Messieurs and Gentlemen would be very welcome too, I'm sure, and apologies for the show tunes now lodged in everyone's heads ...)

If you're trying to keep out of CHAOS over the summer holidays, with the dear children creating havoc all around, then pull up a chair, roll up your sleeves and join in the fun.

Fly Lady's website is here, but we don't recommend signing up for the emails unless you want an ironically cluttered inbox. I'll post the links to the information for every day this month and try to keep up with all the chat.

There are babysteps to get you started on forming a routine, and missions to do once each room is decluttered and, as the Fat Fairy says, it's amazing what you can do in fifteen minutes. We'll be starting August in the entrance, front porch and dining room, and sifting the sense from the cutesy language. :)

I notice from the archive that it's the thread's second birthday so I'm sure there'll be cake as well as plenty of , and - virtual, so no calories - along the way. Finally, a big thank you to CHB and Swan for leading us heroically through a hectic July!

Morning all!

After yesterday's marathon efforts I have done feck all so far this morning but am about to leap into action!

List looks like this:-
General tidy
Washing away
Washing on
Decluttering in ds room
Local shop
Park
Swimming lesson

pa I haven't even started on uniform shopping yet. I will leave it to the last minute as usual. I just love the stress of it too much to be organised .

toffee glad ds is feeling a better

swan drama sounds fab! DS (8 on Monday) is also playing up at the moment. It must be the age. To me it seems a funny age. They are too old for a lot of stuff and too young for a lot of other stuff. Kind of stuck in the middle and desperately trying to prove they are grown up when they are not iyswim.

chb hope you managed to get some sleep.

DS is impossibly excited today as he is going to sleep at his 'BFF' 's house for the first time. He is going to be a nightmare .

After having played beautifully together all day yesterday, today the DC's seem intent on destroying each other today. It is going to be a long day!

PA Glad your ds is feeling a bit better.

Morning properly all!

This may be curtailed as DS, while napping, is making lots of muttering and sticking his bum in the air - usually a precursor to an epic nappy which wakes him up.

I'd like to ask a question - how old are your DC's? Being relatively new to this thread, it does seem like most of them are older than my 10mo DS - not that it worries me, more that I'd love if he played on his own while I cleaned!

Anyway, on to the Ta To-Do list!
Up, wash, dress - done for all family
Breakfast - done for all family
Kitchen S&S - done
Towel Washing - in machine
Walk with DS - done
DS down for nap - ongoing
Work - done
Coffee Break & MNet - yay!
Hoover & dust living room
Lunch for DS & I
Out to playdate for DS
Make spag bol

Not planning much more as I have no idea how long the playdate will last. It's more of a mum's meeting, and is very dependent on how loud DS screams for his nap Part of me wants to go for about 45 mins then come home and put him down so I can do more FLYing (oh God, I'm addicted!) but part of me wants an adult conversation. Play it by ear I think.

CHB hope you're feeling better

Toffee glad DS seems to be on the mend.

Nettie can you get a duplicate bowl? (Or try a funky melamine one that is a bit more solid - has the weight of china but a bit more kid proof?)

Silvery your list (as ever) puts me to shame!

pa so glad DS is too young for uniform. Our schools went back today, and I must say that I was a bit about some of the "uniform" choices for the high school.

And WAVES to all of the other FLYers on this thread.

Hope you have a good day.

Off to sneak down the stairs to see if I can swipe the living room windows as DS has made sticky prints on them "waving" goodbye to dad!

Ta-ra!

Fuzzled - I have two DSs: DS1 is 11, DS2 is 5. I have to say that I found it almost impossible to get any housework done when either of them were small. It is still tricky sometimes with DS2 (currently wailing that he's bored), but so, so much easier than with a baby or toddler. There just doesn't seem to be any time available when you have under 5s, whereas they do at least start to play on their own when they are older. Not when you need them to, of course, but sometimes.

Hope you enjoy the chat with other mums at the playdate. Meeting up with other mums used to keep me sane when DC were small.

Fuzzled My ds's are 2.6yrs and 4yrs.
I started fluttering when ds2 was about 4 months and I was diagnosed with PND. really helped me keep control.
i was obviously doing housework before theis, and when ds1 was a baby, I'd often leave him to amuse himself for 5/10mins whilt I hoovered or something else.

The list might be good, but i haven't done anything yet!
Weather looks poor so think we are going to have a home day today. Will still all get dressed though, ds2 especially hates not getting dressed

Oh, and they also don't make quite as much mess as they get older. DS1 - who used to make an appalling mess with his toys - now only wants to read or go on the computer, both nice tidy activities! DS2 still makes spectacular mess wherever he goes, however, so he more than makes up for his brother.

fuzzled I have 2 dds, one 6 and one is 11months. I know what you mean about getting nothing done.
I do the noisy stuff when dd is in her buggy or high chair (distracted with food or bottle) like the dishwasher, hoovering etc. Then when she is napping I do the quick stuff like swish and swipe, wipe kitchen counters, throw toys into toy boxes, fold clothes etc.
Some days dp will take the kids out to give me a break or so I can clean :o His mother did everything for him, and for a while when I was pg and on bed rest he would get her to do all his shirts etc but our place went to shite. He really hates it messy, probably because his mothers house is never like that, but also because he doesn't contribute to it in any way except for dirty washing as he is so often in work. I think that's why he takes them off as he knows how much I can do if Im not waiting for dd2 to wake up or to nap!

anyway, lists for today
up washed dressed and breakfast done
bed clothes off beds done
Dw to empty
Wash to put on
find something to stop dd1 moaning at me!

Hi All

Thought i'd pop in for a chat. Spent all day yesterday in bed being ill, feeling sorry for myself and sleeping. Today I am up and about as DH has gone to work but still feeling fragile.

DH was working from home yesterday so he took his all singing all dancing phone and took DD to dance/karate/gymnastics combined class and swimming lessons for me. So I'm afraid I don't know what happened on here yesterday, but have had a quick catch up for today

Toffee pleased to see that DS's throat is much better today. Hope that means that you get everything done that you want to do
Swan glad DS liked drama class and hope that dd enjoys her all day party (that sounds brilliant - but not for those organising it)
Fuzzled - I have one dd who is 5. She likes her own company a lot and also has some friends nearby but sometimes will not let me get on with flying until I have played half a dozen games first.
I'm not liking the tlk of uniforms - I have ignored the fact that I need to do that up until now. However school here is not too bad and happy for us to get plain polo shirts etc so usually get cheap packs from supermarkets as she comes home covered in paint, mud, clay, etc

OK jobs for today

• Washing - 1 load done, 2 more to do
• DD to dance class taster session and local huge shopping centre
• promised DD McDonalds on way home
• Shopping
• Post office
• Bank to pay in cheque

That will do for the moment - we will see how I feel when I return for anything further

Back later

Fuzzled - mine are DD 8 (going on 14!) and DS 5. Definitely agree that doing anything with a 10mth old is hard.
Mine are usually pretty good at playing together though I have just had to employ UN-style negotiating skills to get them to stop yelling at each other and resolve some dispute over where a cardboard tube should live . Now happily trying to help each other get washed and dressed......I think!

Swan - DD is reading 'Truckers', its her first Terry Pratchett and she is enjoying it, luckily as we have virtually everything he has written! She is absolutely devouring books at the moment and has discovered the joys of waking up and reading in bed whilst still all snuggly :) Luckily we are a long way from a reading list/set book thing as that often took away a lot of the pleasure for me.
Enjoy your time with just DS1 today. How's his arm getting on? Had to get directions to pick up a friend from hospital yesterday and could only negotiate the place with reference to A&E and the fracture clinic

Ta da:

• Up, washed, dressed and breakfasted (well I am, DC up and fed!)
• S&S
• One load washing done
• Printed off shopping list
• Work whilst DC read/woke up/sat glued to Ben 10
• Hotspot in kitchen
• Persuaded DD to declutter soft toy box in her room - 4 now in 'car boot sale' box, 4-5 'donated' to DS to 'look after'

To do:

• Washing on line and another load in
• Email friend who's rental house I manage to start the interminable negotiations re decorating the kitchen (anyone remember the bathroom saga? )
• Talk to insurance company re event insurance for next year
• Find babysitter for Friday - would like DH to take me out for my birthday but so far all babysitting friends are not available
• Sort out airing cupboard as too full to put any more dried washing in!
• Park this afternoon

Hmmmm, not much Flying in that list. Must try harder :)

Make beds done
Shower and dress done
Swish and swipe done
Boys to get dressed - have decided to stay in so no
Tidy away (miniRR's) done
Washing machine on done
Sort clean clothes done
Tesco (just bread and loo roll) - can wait til tomorrow
Post dvd back to lovefilm - will do tomorrow
Ironing done
Games/writing tasks
What's for dinner? done just need to cook later
Clean kitchen
lay out clothes
Hoover
wash down bathroom
27 fling boogie in boys room

MC dance/karate/gymnastics class for dd! That solves the problem of whether to do dance or karate certainly

Have dropped dd at her party; took ds1 with me on foot, and we have done a long walk to Morrisons and back which works out at a least two miles I reckon
done
exercise
food shopping until we go on Saturday

Toffee glad that ds is feeling better

Feet dd is loving reading at the moment too, unfortunately she seems not to think of it as something she might fill the afternoons with...

My computer has just been doing crazy things and telling me it is has not good genuine Windows installed on it! EEK. Something to do with search engines called Bing? Anyway I may disapparate completely, and that will be the reason.

Todo
unpack shopping (4 heavy bags)
rescue kitchen
make beds
hang out washing
DO KITCHEN/EXTENSION PLANS whilst ds goes on Bitesize Maths revision (tomorrow dd has a friend here all day so I know I'll get nothing done)

Blue the lead up to meals and meals themselves in our house used to be and continue to be quite stressful. Friends who had more successful "meal karma" used to swear by following tricks.
a) a big plate of carrot sticks, cucumber cherry tomatoes to serve as snacks before the meal instead of dreaded biscuits (does no harm if they eat them at table with you or before, if that's what's needed to keep stress levels down)
c) stress reduces appetite so if they are in a state before they sit down, they probably won't eat much anyway, so it's worth keeping them calm and not feeling everything has to be "perfect" or that they have to be perfectly behaved
d) when children are hungry they are ravenous, and usually they will behave pretty badly just before mealtimes because of this. Having worked in a school library I observed how the behaviour of the 9-10 year olds was at rock bottom just before lunch (which was at 12am) - simple blood sugar low. And if 9-10 year olds can't manage to control their emotions I suppose younger children will be even worse.
e) humour during meals will release a lot of tension too!
d) alternate very casual picnic type meals which are no trouble to prepare with more stagey "proper" meals which children enjoy decorating table for. I was so obsessed by the children sitting at table and eating the food I had so laboriously cooked that I forgot there was definitely one person not enjoying mealtimes, ME! And I don't think the kids enjoyed the meals when there was this grumpy person there...

Sorry to lecture you, I think I'm reminding myself where I went wrong, and still often go wrong with mealtimes...

Afternoon all! Severe case of cba here today. I have done a quick sweep round and some washing. Am still in my pj's .

Am going to have a coffee and a shower and see if that perks me up .

Hellloooo again everyone. Hope you are all still surviving the holidays

Very late in catching up and have no excuse as having a bit of a CBA day myself ... . I should be frantically washing and packing for hols and I'm not. We're not even sure where we are going yet so it doesn't seem quite 'real' ifyswim. Also, dh hasn't definitively left his desk and I only start to "believe" when he does ... (Have last minute packing down to a fine art )

Thank you for all your sympathetic words/advice regarding dd's behaviour. It has greatly improved with (a) an early night and (b) the threat of her ds being taken away for a week (c) two brisk walks/frisbee sessions in the park and (d) a negotiated chore list (still doing that one!) But she is still very, very demanding in terms of wanting attention ... and still slow to volunteer to help out with chores ... I can see this is going to be an ongoing battle.

We're currently negotiating two simple chore lists. Chores we expect her to do because 'everyone has to chip in' and 'extra' chores she can do to earn money. Fingers crossed this will work.

Have started getting her school uniform in order (fortunately most still fits her from last year). Bought new shoes, winter coat and autumn/winter mufti outfits (all on line - all seem to fit with room for growth thank heavens).

Am now going through the tortuous process of buying the 38 items of stationery/pens/files etc etc that are apparently needed for next year. You wouldn't believe the detailed descriptions on the list (specified makes and sizes and duplicates for home and school - 8 different files of different colours and sizes and numbers of holes, 4 different notebooks ditto, specialist pens, a compass etc etc ). Over the top for an 8 yr old imo but totally normal here. It all costs about twice the price it does in the UK too.

I can't tell you how relieved I was to see your post Ellie because I have been dossing around in manky tracksuit-bottoms not getting much done. Couldn't agree more about 8 yr old girls being stuck in the middle btw. DD is playing with dolls one minute and then complaining because she can't drive a car, the next!
Hope you are OK MC and CHB
Glad your ds is feeling a bit better Toffee he has had a rough time
Swan hate to say it but we had similar computer probs when technician (unbeknown to us) installed software that wasn't genuine. Caused all sorts of probs so hope you can sort it out. at your dancing dss
Feetheart good luck with the airing cupboard
Silvery and Nettie v. impressive lists!

PA good luck with the ironing pile and bonne courage with uniform shopping when you can face it
Thanks for round-ups Blue - chutney sounds delicious
Congrats to Messy for overcoming C.H.A.O.S.
Well done for getting to the gym Whoknows

Huge waves to Fuzzled Linzer Ihate and eveyrone else I have surely missed ...

Okay. Not a ta to-do list check-off; will post that later when I'm not on my phone.

Just been tidying up around the house while DS has a quick nap. Managed to get quite a bit done so yay!

But...

Before I got started I just wanted to hide on the couch and not do anything. It was almost as if it was so bad, me doing nothing wouldn't make it worse. I felt a bit naughty about the state of my house. As if I was just waiting for someone (strict teacher?) to come and give me a row about it; almost like I'd forgotten to do my homework so there was not point in trying to get a half-arsed job done complete with butterflies in stomach feeling IYSWIM? Anyone else feel like this?

No? Just me then?

Well, I'm home from work, and enjoying a few minutes of an empty house before I get on with stuff - sharing the sofa with one of the cats and a cup of tea - bliss! DS is staying the night with DM as DH didn't know what he would be doing.

Done - not much!
Morning routine
DH out the door
Make beds
Zone mission
Pack food (and breakfast) for DS to take to DM's
Get DS to finish choosing toys etc to take with him
Load car
Take DS to DM's
Go to work - for 8.30 start
Get petrol
Come home
Crash on settee with cat and

To Do
Clean washing away
Washing on airer
s/s
Zone cleaning
Make birthday card for friend
WI paperwork
Washing up
Make tea if DH comes home at decent hour
Evening routine
Water where needed
Exercise
Pack lunch for tomorrow

Not sure there's going to be time for anything else today!

That's everything on my list done
Sitting in front of the telly now with a vino. Bliss

Hubby on laptop so posting from phone again.

My list is also done so I'll join Silvery in a and leave the bottle open on the side for everyone to help themselves.

Nighty, night!

I have quite spectacularly achieved feck all . Hey ho. Tomorrow is another day .

Ds is sleeping over at his best friends. Dd is asleep. Dh is out. I am slobbing on the sofa. Bliss.

No personals as am on phone so big waves to all.

Evening all

mc glad you are feeling better today.
fuzzled my dc are almost 3 and almost 5. Ive been flying for over a year and the one thing except for lapses it has helped me with is find time for them amongst all cleaning tidying. Always feel down when house is in a mess so would spend more time doing that than anything else. Now im at work i do have a cleaner once a week for ironing and cleaning and i do routines and day to day rest of the time and generally keep up. I dont know how anyone manages it! oh and i sneak into my room to watch some adult tv from time to time and feel very naughty.
feetheart oh oh yes i remember the bathroom. Good luck, hope this time is not as frustrating for you.
swan thanks for mealtime info. I am that grumpy person at the table. me and dh i shall h=be cheery person and shall make mealtimes fun and not a boring chore.

Console dd whose brand new first ever china bowl has broken at breakfast aw-done, ill have a look in the shops, she has been using a china bowl for ages and not broken one. DS has a toy story bowl and i felt she should have a proper one too. never mind she ok now
Get dressed-done
Bathe dc-done 3 nights overdue
Prepare swim bags-done
Make jelly/cupcakes with dc-did cupcakes..yeah me
Did both side of office table last night so going to gather up some junk in there for charity shop and do a drop off-one back dropped off and some stuff put away
Read prepared last will and testament to send back to solicitors!-read confused passed to DH
Make bed-done
S/s-done
Empty dishwasher/wm move laundry on-done
Tidy up dc bedroom (everyday room rescue)-nope
Take dc to swim lessons interspersed with two hours on beach or playpark!-done..so tired
Home for slowcooked meal and tatties- slow cooked meal ruined so it was fish and chips
Run to ww to see how much failed by this week- a whole half a pound
Run to hairdressers - done much better but at price. But did do my internet shopping on phone whilst hair being dyed. How productive am i

Can i ask a question about ds birthday presnt, 5 this birthday. Shall i try and get him something practical or a ds/psp thingie. DH thinks all peer group with have a ds/psp. But i think once he starts school he will pick up that those are the things to have and then can ask Santa for one?

Right as its silly o clock (for me) and i havent stopped all dayim going to sign off and go to bed no clothes laid out or lunch made, manic day ahead too!! Ill regret it tomorrow...

`nite all

Nettie - we've held out quite successfully against the DS so far (DS is 7.5) - I don't think all his friends have them by any means, he only realised they existed about a year ago. For us the reason being that he has an addictive personality, we dipped a toe in the water by getting a Wii, which we can police effectively, he would want to use it all day every day if we let him, for this reason he's not getting a DS this year either. We bought the Wii as a family thing, not for anyone's birthday, therefore it is not "his". I would find it hard to buy him a present and then have to ration it severely. We got him a scooter for his 5th birthday, great for getting to school on.

Fuzzled - I still get that feeling too, I just want to put my head under the covers and hope it will all go away. I get panicky sometimes about the responsibility of running a home and family and want to scuttle back off to my parents, silly really.

Ongoing decluttering here, we had to shift a lot of stuff upstairs for the electrical work yesterday, I am trying to throw as much away as possible before bringing it all back down the stairs and at the same time file about 6 months backlog of paperwork. Also the ironing mountain is threatening to cause an avalanche down the stairs. It's hard getting much done with the DCs at home. Well, I get stuff done, it's just that they create more mess as fast as I can clear up.

Nettie I used to like those china bowls where you only saw the pattern when you ate your food up! I had a favourite book called The Ship That Flew where the 4 children had spotty sets of china, all different colours for tea time. Hope you find a nice bowl for dd.
P.S. I'd forgotten what bliss it is to go to hairdresser.
SC dd has had a lovely day, and was foul when she came home I did persuade her to put her socks away but that was it. The chores thing will run and run I suspect. I need to think of some Machiavellian way of tricking her into wanting to do them. She loves lighting candles and ironing - how can I make her think that housework is something that only very grownup children do

Today was going well (Ds2 loved drama again) (Dd at lovely party and we went round to sample birthday cake play in garden too etc) (Ds1 in excellent mood) until about 5pm when suddenly everyone very overtired and wound up, Asperger's playing up, and Ds1 managed to lock us out after walking home by himself and shutting door behind him when he was in garden. Cue massive tantrums from everyone; convening to nearby park whilst awaiting DH's return. I seem to be firefighting a lot. Message to self: do not make things up as you go along - stick to plan [stern] as children do not like plans to change. Also bury spare key in garden, using shed key to gain access... No fun after 5pm either. It always leads to bad temper.

Fuzzled that part of me is sadly lacking. I only care what the neighbours think.

Nettie I think it is nice to buy them "toys" whilst they still want them. Every child wants a ds but that doesn't mean you have to provide it! Ours had one first at 8 (and I suppose the 6 year old got to share it) and it has been a source of trouble, though useful in hospital waiting rooms and airports! Also the noise drives me mad, so much rather hear them muttering stories about their toy castles/treehouses/playmobil worlds. Also it is expensive, and the next thing is you need to buy expensive games which they will spot in supermarkets...I could go on forever.... Or they save up for expensive games which quickly bore them...

Also just enjoyed the Hours on telly (retro BBC drama)
sink piled high with washing up (as dw full of clean stuff) but think I will get an early night in order to deal with Recycling Day and Planning

Evening all. Another busy day in Flylady land by the look of things.

Nettie - going back to the conversation about Baby Jake, DH assures me that the programme itself isn?t as bad as the trailers, but I tend to be cooking when the TV?s on so I don?t know either! Rastamouse isn?t one of the myriad programmes our two watch so have no idea about comparative awfulness. And sorry for misreading who was bored by the zoo! DHs do definitely just have to lump it!!

swan thank you for the ideas about mealtimes. It?s definitely worst around lunch in this house ? in the evening they tend to be distracted from hunger by watching TV (see above!) and I?m more likely to have a handy carrot stick to fob them off with. Ideas about calm atmosphere good too though ? I do get tense when they don?t like/want what I?ve cooked. I was a v picky eater and want to avoid that kind of stress so often end up making it worse?

WhoKnows you?ve worried me about school shoes now! DS1 doesn?t start until a few days into term so I was going to go for shoes then. Now I?m scared they might have sold out? At least I?ve got all his uniform sorted.

Anyway, this is getting long already so better do the round-up!

CHB ((hugs)) Can I get you anything from the bar? or would you prefer a cocktail or several?

Nettie had a busy day lined up. Your poor DD! I hope you?re able to get an even better bowl! at internet shopping on phone from hairdresser?s!

feet has a sparkly clean, organised garage! Hope it does encourage DH to do more. Either way, though, big whoops and congratulations. :) She was also demonstrating negotiation skills with DC ? oh the weird things they fight over!

PA had an early start and was making suet pudding. I totally sympathise with your DS about shoe shopping being the end of summer ? I used to feel just the same.

swan survived the hairdresser?s and had a crazy computer going bing!

Silvery had a lie in and achieved everything on her list. Top marks!

Toffee - glad DS is feeling so much better.

ellie?s DC had had enough of playing nicely? and she was slobbing on the sofa.

Fuzzled is addicted to FLYing! Hope you had a good playdate/mums? meeting. My DS1 is 4 1/2 and DS2 is nearly 2, by the way. I?m just starting to get my head around the housework, but do all the noisy stuff/house bleugh between the two days they go to the childminder. Other bits and bobs in their TV slots and after they?re in bed. The Fat Fairy can be a pretty strict teacher in her cutsey way!

messy had a moaning DD1 ? hope you had a good day and stopped the moaning!

MC popped in for a chat. Glad you?re feeling a bit better ? hope you can continue taking it easy.

SC didn?t yet believe in holidays and was buying crazy amounts of stationery. The chutney is pretty good although the first batch is a little over-sticky-sweet.

cobwebs was enjoying an empty house before starting to fly.

WhoKnows was decluttering post-electrician and tackling the paperwork and ironing mountains. It?s like the fridge magnet says ? Cleaning the house while the kids are growing is like shovelling snow while it?s still snowing. I feel like I could get one of those now I am actually shovelling?

Phew.

Now for the links:
Babystep: Sensible bedtime. Hmm, failing on that one!
Mission (when it updates): The front of our bathroom vanity (cabinet to me!) and write a weekly plan for the office.

Night all!