What Belongs On A Family Calendar When Both Parents Work

If you and your partner work full-time jobs, having a well-organized calendar that keeps important meetings, events, and obligations in one place is necessary. While you already manage school drop-off and pick-up times, as well as daily work hours, the most important things to include on a family calendar are those activities that could keep your household from running as smoothly as possible.

For starters, any activity, event, or appointment that falls outside or disrupts the regular school or workday is a must. This includes extracurricular activities for your kids, doctors' appointments, school events, family get-togethers, performances, and after-school play dates. Don't forget days off that can surprise you, like teacher professional development days. You should also mark weekend activities that affect the usual rhythm of your family's typical schedule. 

As you write down all the upcoming activities for the month or week ahead, it's just as important to know who's responsible for what – especially if the activity involves driving your kids somewhere or buying food for a Saturday night get-together with friends. For example, if you know you're the only adult home between 3 and 5 p.m., you can automatically assume responsibility for any appointments that fall within that time frame. But writing "Mom" or "Dad" next to these on-and-off tasks on the calendar serves as a steadfast reminder for your kids, so they know who to update if an activity changes.

Besides marking each event or activity with initials, you can also color-code a family calendar by assigning each adult a color and writing their obligations in that hue. If you're worried about fitting each week's activities onto a paper calendar, digital versions are a great way to get organized. Not only can you color-code a digital calendar with ease, you can also prioritize certain events, sync it with your smartphone, and set daily or weekly reminders.

With a digital calendar, you can also add kids' chores, block off homework time, and incorporate one-off changes to your family's standard evening or morning routine. Especially for kids, following a predictable plan is one of many effective ways to get through school mornings without making them worse.

To make a family calendar easier to use and understand, consider having a family meeting (with your kids included) before the first of every month to talk through any major events, sports practices, or activities. Then, touch base every Sunday evening to review the week ahead to make sure everyone is aware of their own personal tasks and responsibilities. Having these mini meetings becomes especially important as your kids grow older so they have a better sense of their daily obligations and after-school commitments.