What are your top tips for making family life work ?

[carriemumsnet]

While we wait with bated breath for the results of our work/life balance survey we thought we'd tap you for your top tips on how you make family life work, in terms of work/life balance, family time, sharing responsibilities for children/ house /money etc

How do you make the parenting partnership (great phrase eh? ) work in your house?

No, it's not regimented because it's not decided from the top. Everyone participates in the process - lots of discussion and negotiation and compromise.

But yes, I do think family life works really well that way, all the best-working and happiest families I know do it that way... so I copy

Talk
Be affectionate
Do fun stuff: all together; with DP (if you have one); on your own

Loving the objectives and negotiations, but no management consultants in this house...

Why though maidamess? Why does it mater? What difference does it make?

Seriously, I'm interested.

I don't need to negotiate stuff that far in advance though. Not necessary. We see each other every day.

Do you have disciplinary procedures as well Anna? Redundancies?

I am the opposite of Anna.
I think my children will decide to go to uni if they had a passion for education.
I want them to develop into individuals without worrying about some bizarre long term plan I have drawn up for them.

i knwo my boys will go to university as i ddi, their grandparents adn great granparents did
no big deal

i am not planning for it
we dont have attainemnt targets

rofl at fallen madonna

We want to move (and for our daughter to change school) in 2015. The area we want to move to is very sought after. We will need to start looking for a flat in the right area in 2012 or 13... or else it just won't happen.

A friend of mine looked for the right flat here in Paris (to house her, her husband, four children and parents with Alzheimers plus two carers) for FOUR years.

well she is barkign then
we will move sometiem when we know where ds1 will go to school
is that a PLAN
oh lordy
ladies i haev a plan

No, I hate rules and we don't have them.

I hate all this "decide rules and stick to them" (and there is a lot of that on this thread), it kills children's personalities.

Each to their own, Anna. We wouldn't be happy that way.

Oh really? I know very, very, very rich people who looked for years for the right place here.

Maybe your friend isn't very particular?

I'm glad that works for you Anna, but personally I could not be happy knowing my whole life was planned out so far in advance!!I'd rather be spontanious. I'd rather enjoy 2008 than plan out 2015.

wlel i knwo UBER rich peopel who love on the moon

lol

Ah poor Anna (roffle) if it works for you, do it. But I already live right next to the children's school. Was the work of random moments.
I am totally disorganised person.

lots of time away - or at least he goes away for fishing trips to Cornwall and I get time at home alone