July 2014: fledglings follow Flylady's tuition (don't forget your pamper mission)

[ToffeeWhirl]

A big thank you to slackcabbage for superb thread leadership throughout June, as well as a great intro which I am going to shamelessly borrow from now.

Struggling with C.H.A.O.S. (can't have anyone over syndrome) and S.T.U.F.F. (something that undermines family fun)? In that case, you need Flylady.

Flylady is a system for managing housework. Starting with babysteps, it builds up into a routine which becomes second nature. In theory, once you are used to the system, you will have a tidy house you are not embarrassed by and plenty of time to get on with more interesting things.

Flylady banishes the panicky "rabbit in headlights" feeling when you are overwhelmed and everything needs doing all at once. If you fall off the Flylady bandwagon, it’s no problem: you just jump back in where you are and carry on.

Don't sign up for the Flylady emails as you will be inundated! All the information you need will be linked here on this thread on a daily basis.

From the first of the month, Flylady's steps and routines will be listed here on this thread.

Flylady uses a three-pronged approach (dependent on the stage everyone is at):

1. start or repeat baby steps

1. repeat baby steps + do 15 mins a day decluttering in the current zone

1. reinforce babysteps and do daily missions if you have finished decluttering.

(And detailed deep cleaning in each zone for those who have made real progress – not sure if anyone has reached this pinnacle yet…? I certainly haven’t).

More info here on getting started (but ignore step one!) and Flying lessons. Here's the launch pad for more experienced fledglings.

Try to ignore Flylady’s purple prose (hard, I know) - the underlying system is sound!

Three key points to keep in mind:

1. No perfectionism allowed - this is harder than you would imagine.

1. You are never behind - just start where you are and anything you do is progress.

1. It didn't get into a mess overnight, it won't get tidy overnight - accept it will take time to get on top of things and you will be happier.

If you are new, then trying to spend 15 mins decluttering and doing the babysteps is the most you should expect of yourself. Lots of us here like posting our ‘to do’ or ‘ta da’ lists and they can look quite scary. Don’t be put off.

If all else fails, try the power of three – just pick three things that most need doing and focus on those.

And if you have visitors coming over this afternoon and need a quick fix NOW, try Flylady's crisis clean.

We all know each other pretty well on this thread and some of us have been around for a long time, but all lurkers, oldies and newcomers are very welcome!

Decluttering, great, just what I need.

(waves to everyone)

Anyone else knackered?

Hoped I'd wake up with a solution. I haven't.

By the way, when I wrote, above, 'If I choose mainstream and have to go through tribunal...' I should have written 'residential'. Obviously wasn't thinking straight. The LEA will love me if I choose mainstream!

Sorry you are knackered, lostprince. Good luck with your decluttering.

Have a friend of DS2's coming round this morning, then I'm dropping DS2 off at MIL's whilst I go to the hairdressers and get two hours' peace .

Toffee - have a I know I'm supposed to do disclaimers about it not being MNetty, but honestly, you just sound like you need one - not totally down, but just scunnered so I hope you find the solution that you, DS1 and also everyone else in the family can live and be happy with. Enjoy your peace!

Thanks for the recommendation Bitchy - although I'd agree with your DS, stick Percy at the top of your unread pile. They're awfully good - if not totally mentally taxing

Waves to everyone else as this should be a quick post as I've got heaps to do.

I need to:
Buy weedkiller
Buy new pillows for me
Maybe (if cheap) buy new duvet for DBIL coming up - and maybe cover.
Washing - done
WAH job - ongoing when not MNetting
Create mp3 music drive for leaving in car (don't ask!)

Right, must away!

Morning everyone, I'm really hoping to get son flying done today as it's an 'at home' day for me. Here goes:

ta da so far:
DS's bed stripped and bedding currently in the wash
Cats fed
DS up, had milk and breakfast, teeth cleaned.

to do
Bath DS (thanks nursery for letting him play with red paint and shaving foam at the same time...)
DW
Strip and remake bed
Wash all towels
Put away laundry
Have a go at fly lady's missions of cleaning under the bed and chuck away 27 things from the bedroom
Having a haircut later.

Morning all,

Sympathy Toffee - it seems never ending. Your DSs are very lucky to have you fighting their corner.

I have just had a bad moment re my DS too, I think all this statement stuff has been storing up a lot of stress and tension in me that I have been just shoving to one side. On Friday at school something that he had been really looking forward to for weeks was canned at the last moment due to lack of time. He copes really well with changes to routine for a boy with AS, but negative changes at short notice floor hit him hard and he was distraught, managed to hold it in till he was out of school and let rip at me. They were promised it will take place today (last day of term) but he has been worrying in case the same happens. So yesterday I emailed the school explaining how DS had felt and asking that if they do think they will have to cancel again please could someone have a quiet word with him before just announcing it in assembly as this will help him to cope. I got a pat on the head reply saying "we have told them it will happen today, sometimes life doesn't go as we would like it to etc etc". Took the DCs to school and walked home in floods of tears. All I was asking for was a bit of understanding as to why he can't shrug these things off like other children can.

Anyway, house is a tip, I need to go to work, sorry for moaning. Oh and we've got bloody headlice.

Toffee and Who sounds like you're both having tough times. Maybe I'm being naive, but I'd expect more from the schools and education provisions. I'd feel very let down if I was either if you.

and for breakfast for you both :)

Hugs for WhoKnows too... sounds awful.

Bureaucracy is a truly shit thing.

WhoKnows don't feel sorry for moaning. If you can't vent here, what's the point, eh? Sympathies, really, I HATE the condescension sometimes. Ds1 goes to a special school and I've had a few instances of that. It's maddening. And unnecessary. So sorry about the headlice.

Toffee I'm a bit surprised you've been advised to put a mainstream school as a choice, even if it is a second choice. If he cannot cope with MS, then I wouldn't put it. Why give them the opportunity to say "oh look, she wouldn't put that MS school if she didn't think he could go there - we'll choose this one!"

ta da
usual morning routine, school run
checked bank
not much really, but am going to go get a coffee and make my list

to do
yep, still making my list. Must have coffee first.

Not very organised of me today, I will admit.

Thank you all. In general the DCs school has been very good at supporting DS, he copes remarkably well, I sometimes wish he would lose his temper at school then they would see how bloody hard it is for him sometimes. He holds it all in though, hates the thought of getting into trouble. Normally I would be able to shrug this off, maybe fume a bit but not get so upset, I think it just let loose a lot of pent up stress.

Apologies for the tangent: cats must have brought another sodding mouse in. It's run under the oven what the hell am I going to do?

It's so close to the open back door but I bet it just cowers under there for days chewing through my gas pipe or such. Fucking cats!

Thanks for the sympathy (and unMNetty hugs, Carpe ).

Who - that's so insensitive of the school. I'm sorry. Whoever wrote that clearly doesn't understand ASC and is simply showing their ignorance. You were doing absolutely the right thing in trying to prepare your DS. DS1's primary school didn't believe me when I talked about his difficulties coming in to school - not until he broke down dramatically at school in front of them all. I don't know why teachers can't just take our word for it when we tell them about our DC.

Alice - yes, it ridiculous about having to put a mainstream as a choice. I'm not going to. Especially since I spoke to someone who has supported Ds through all this and she said there is no way at all he can cope in mainstream.

ta da

More phone calls and research on choosing a school. Think I have reached a conclusion. It's certainly not perfect, but it's local and has small classes. Best of a poor choice, I think.

SOme times it is needed Whoknows

Need to get a huge amount of stuff done but suffering cba, especially as I have a project deadline on thursday and it has 3 parts. I have just unpicked and started putting back about an hour's worth of work on it.

ta da
Lunch box and iron shirt
ds to school
1 load washing on
unpicking or work on project
replace the work (approx. 1 hour)
set up a new car file (last one fell apart - whoops)
find date for appointment in august.
look at pain diary sheet and try to figure out how to make work for me - it needs teaking as my handwriting won't fit in the boxes to start with.

Feeling a lot calmer now I've finally made a decision about DS1's school. I may have more battles to come with the LEA, but, for now, I have nothing more to do.

Looking forward to having my minibreak at the hairdressers .

Enjoy your haircut toffee Floors cleaned here and having a break in the garden in the sunshine....procastinating about decluttering!

Major procrastination from me this pm.

Took DS to the shop to buy the new duvet and pillows (but no cover) and then went to the park for about 2 hours, before grabbing a chippy supper for everyone on the way home. Very lovely but not exactly flying

DH still hasn't heard about this job, so guess it's a non-starter; bit disappointing but that's life - need to do my job applications now!

Big glass of wine to toffee & who knows.

Not wine that I found under the bed - looking (hopefully) for that now

Hello!

Sorry to hear of all ongoing school-related stresses and glad you've come to a decision, Toffee.

I spent yesterday at a conference which was great once I got there - journey was a pain. Consequently all out of synch today, not helped by watching University Challenge on catch up!

Tomorrow is the last day of term and the boys' last ever day at the CM (unless she has space on odd days in emergency) so will be weird combination of relief and sadness (and minor panic about whether I'll cope without CM days). :)

Ta DA!
Iced cakes for DS1's teachers before school
3 baskets of laundry put away
More laundry done
Another DW cleaning cycle run
Emails caught up with
Scrubbed sink
S&S
Swept floors x loads
Boys' dentist appointment - new dentist, much nicer.
Discussed ways of avoiding stress with boys
Planned DS2's party & invites done (early Sept!)
Card for CM
Found plastic bags for all DS1's school books etc and in book bag

To do!
Remember all end of term stuff and hand out as appropriate
Book boys' hair cuts
Work
Ironing
Hoover

Babystep Number 23 is to plan your afternoon routine.

Wednesday is anti-procrastination day.

Mission 3 is to clear your bedside tables. Also, make sure your nicest sheets are washed and ready for Friday's mission.

Wednesday's flight plan is here.

Goodnight fledglings.

Day improved. Work was fine, DCs were fine at pick up time. We went home then into town to buy a paddling pool, ended up also going to the library to join the summer reading scheme and had an ice cream on the way back to the car. Home and DD's friend came round, they all enjoyed the paddling pool. Dominos for dinner then I spent an hour at the allotment harvesting potatoes and chatting to the next door plotholders.

Urgh, is it really morning already. These hot humid nights are not good for the sleep.

Bitchy we have ceiling fans in the bedrooms and an oscillating fan in the hallway (right by the window that is locked in slightly open position) that draws in the cooler night air. I'd never be able to sleep otherwise. Roll on autumn!!

May I rhapsodise? I loooooove autumn. I am only getting through summer because I know autumn comes next. And then winter. My favourite times. I'm not keen on spring or summer. (I know, I've been told I'm a bit odd because of that!)

Today I will be:

• waiting for the gas repairman to come look at the boiler and with any luck fix it. (Have I mentioned I would like some hot water? )
• moving furniture. My desk to ds1's room. Ds1's desk to ds2's room. Dancing a jig knowing I'll actually have more space in my room!!
• baking things. Banana bread, pumpkin bread, raisin oatmeal cookies, and possibly tea cake (dcs have requested this). Some of the bread will go in the freezer for later this summer.

-review a few recipes. It's been far too long since I've made chicken pie or sausage and potato pie and I need to look at them a bit before I make them later this week. -paint a photo frame. This is not definite. The dcs are already a bit into things this morning, so it may wait until this evening after they are in bed, if I'm not too tired by that point. -general tidying up, some spot cleaning, and some clearing up in the dining room.

ta da
usual morning routines
washing up
cleared off my desk in preparation to move it
put away a few stacks of clothing
checked bank

I'm determined that even though the dcs are home now for summer holidays that I'm going to get a huge amount of cleaning/clearing out done over the next few weeks. I'm planning on being ruthless and taking some things to the tip. I'm also going to go through their rooms and get rid of more toys - they have far too many and some that they never play with anymore. Also time to go through the clothing and get rid of things that are too small for them or simply not being worn. And sort through the school uniforms so I know what they'll need for next term.

Alice - I'm also an autumn person! I love walking through rustly leaves, stepping on crunchy frost covered grass, breathing steamy breath into cold air, and revelling at all thd golden trees.

I'll go now, I sound like a weirdo....

Right there with you. We are obviously both weirdos.