I think I need a twelve step program....

[Houdini]

Hello my name is Rebecca. I am a recovering spanker and yeller. I have been changing my styles to be more gentle. I have done very well with the no spanking part of it. I have fallen off the wagon so many times with the yelling that I am not sure what else to try. I am now in time out myself as my patience is non existent. I really have no idea why. I think a big part of it is I am stretched so thin right now. I started back full-time to school about a year ago (which is going great), but it is hard for my crew as I have always been home. My schedule changes every quarter, so it is hard for them to get used to it all. Soccer is in session right now, so there are two boys with games and/or practices two times a week. My oldest is in violin, my daughter in piano, and we are teaching Zachary piano at home. My daughter also has Brownies twice a month. My house is a disaster and needs a serious amount of cleaning. Sorry I didn't mean to rant, I am just trying to figure it all out right now. My goal is to clean the house today. I just can't seem to get started with it at this point.

[Linda KS]

I feel out of my depth offering any advice -- I only have 2 kids and I don't work or go to school.......

Would being better organized help at all? I use Flylady.net, which really helps me. Do the kids all have helpful jobs around the house?

One things that keeps me sane is a 10 minute family pick up time at night. I set the timer for 10 minutes and everyone picks up. It isn't about trying to clean the house, it's just putting shoes back away, carring toys back to the owner's room, etc. We also set out whatever we are going to need to take with us the next day. Before we started this, I often found myself yelling at my kids because we needed to leave for violin lessons 5 minutes ago and they couldn't find the books. Now things like that are sitting in the entry way on the table, so we can hit the ground running.

When does your semester end?

[Houdini]

The ten minute pick-up time sounds like a great idea. We are organized to an extent. We generally have things ready to go when we need to leave. I just think I sometimes have a way I want things to go and I have to let go of that more. My quarter ends the second week of June, but I have to take summer classes which start the third week in June. Thanks for the timer idea.