A deluge.
I read them. I immediately throw the ones of least apparent relevance. A sizeable pile remains. I sign what I can. Return it immediately to the reader bag. One down. Truckloads to go. How, for instance, to deal with the 'Buskers Afternoon' notification. Can I be a parent helper? Can I avoid it?
The Fair Trade Colouring Competition is due on Thursday. I have a bad feeling the colouring sheet remains in the Fibro, under the renovation dust - will Mr7 be devastated? School photo season is upon us. Choose a package - cheque or credit. Due back when? Eeek! Tomorrow. Wait a minute - wasn't there one about the preschool photos as well? Rummage. Due back when? Eeeek! Tomorrow.
There has to be an easier way.
How do you deal with the onslaught of school notes? Any tips?
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Isn't it frustrating. My son is only in Prep and the amount of stuff that comes home is insane. He seems to have something on every day. I now have a separate calendar on my phone just for his school stuff. I'll be reading along as I could do with any helpful tips as well.
ReplyDeleteWe moved schools earlier this year, and I must say our new school is so much better with the notes! I look through them, fill in what needs to be filled out and like you - pop them back in a folder or give to my most reliable child. 2nd I write any dates and notes (like remember a drink for excursion) in my diary, then I bin everything else! xx Rach
ReplyDeleteYours sounds a little like mine. Deal with it straight away or it just gets lost in the deluge. I do have a pile on a corner of my kitchen bench and a pinboard though that I throw it into if so at least I know where to look if I can't find something school/kinder note related. I'm not particularly organised at the moment. Shall read your comments with interest to see if anyone has a genius idea.
ReplyDeleteWe only have one in kinder, and already I am failing Notices 101. I need some kind of system. I'll be coming back to read the comments.
ReplyDeleteYou are asking the wrong girl... But you knew that xx
ReplyDeleteEek. I only have one, not even 18 months, and in day care only one day a week, but I have already failed several times to return notes in a timely and/or correct fashion. What hope do I have - once my boy gets to school he will be the one left sitting in the classroom on excursion day because his mum didn't return a note.
ReplyDeleteNo notes for us yet! We still remain blissfully ignorant when it comes to the whole school note thing. I do remember mum getting in a fit as she pulled out old, scrunched up, Vegemite smeared notices from my book bag. Guess that will be my role from next year on...
ReplyDeleteI have the added problem here of the notes being sent home in Dutch! (which I am still not particularly proficient at...) So I read the note, make my own translation, and then have to get the Daddy to check in case I am missing a vital word. Somewhere in the checking step, many many many notes get lost...
ReplyDeleteIt's a nightmare, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI try and deal with notes the day they come in but there's always something that can't be dealt with then and there and this year the school has done something to help us poor parents out. They include almost every possible payment in the term fees now and if not, they list every permission slip/money that's due in the Weekly Newsletter. They also have a class parent that e-mails everyone the night before. Helpful yes but now I feel like I'm constantly being bombarded with reminders!!!
I think, almost certainly, the problem you have is that you need more children. I have no rationale for my assessment on this ocassion but I am in Indonesia, so if you decide you want some, I can hook you up.
ReplyDeleteOh and PS who are these school photo people? Are we all seriously still buying their crappy overpriced photo packages? Highway robbery and they're almost always awful. Do 'em yourself and donate what you save to charity.
Oh you brave and beautiful woman. This is why I remain childless. But I applaud those of you who can manage. One day perhaps. But not today.
ReplyDeleteOh yes! And then add in the notes/emails from ballet, scouts, singing and guitar. I need to hire a secretary! Who'd have four children? Not me!! Oh, hang on...too late.
ReplyDeleteGemma at My big nutshell is the girl with answers...check her fadmin post. Sorry can't find link on my iPad .
ReplyDeleteI was terrible at it before with mr 18 and even now with preschool we failed pj day and special activities week.
We have a family calendar which we write things on...a column for each family member. The school notes either go to the recycle bin, or are put into a display folder for each child. Must remember to get one for Miss 3 who starts kindy next year! It's great because we all know where to look when money/permission slips need to be returned.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up Trish. Loving the ideas in Gemma's post... http://mybignutshell.blogspot.com/2011/07/fadmin-and-organisation-with-my-big.html
I feel you pain! I thought it was just me who felt overwhelmed by all the info that comes home and then there is the homework!
ReplyDeleteOur last school sent lots by email that was much easier to ignore.
My son's school emailed everything important, or mailed it directly home if vital to avoid the anguish caused by finding notes in the bottom of the schoolbag the day they are due...also better for the environment. Did the newsletters this way too, an email and a link to the secure part of their website...so much more efficient.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.kuronekocon.org/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=25565
ReplyDeleteI love the sims games but i dont have the sims3 pc & i came accross 101gamer. org where you can download it for free but i am worried about viruses as my pc is not very well proctected, has anyone downloaded the sims3 from the site or any other games??? thanx
I dedicated a whole day to family admin last week, for real. How sad is that?!
ReplyDeleteI screech at the kids every afternoon to unpack their lunch boxes and reader folders. I then extract the notes daily & either "file" them in my hot spot under the microwave or actually deal with it right there and then...
It's a bloody nightmare.
I recall my Dad, way back the 1970's, when he was dealing with 5 lots of school fees and all the notes that go with five kids at three separate schools...I asked him for 50p for lunch money and he told me "only if the canteen takes a bouncy cheque..."
xx
Ha! THey're a nightmare arent they?
ReplyDeleteOur old school did a fundraiser years ago of magnetic plastic sleeves that stick on the fridge, and all notes can go in there. I wld then stick a sheet in the front with a list of which note/when due/how much etc. All very organised. In theory.
Now checking the folder - newsletters from Term 1 are still in there. Most recent newsletter is on dining table somewhere. And I still forgot to send money for the father's day stall today. Sigh.
The beautiful thing about blogging is that it makes you feel less alone. I don't feel so bad about my Notes Disorder now that I know the same thing is happening in kitchens and on dining tables across Australia!
ReplyDeleteA note from a teacher in the US (I promise you don't have to complete, pay, return, or file this!) My first day stack of admin paperwork is insane--and none of it is from me. Oh, and most of it is completely silly.
ReplyDeleteI can tell you that you are not alone. In fact, most parents are completely overwhelmed by start of school paperwork. So much so that usually they just sign and return and then deny knowing what I'm talking about when I remind them about it later. Sigh.
There is no system save hiring someone to take care of it all for you. While you're at it, hire someone to take care of it on my end too, please! :)
'He doesn't HAVE to go to school, you know. It's probably better that he DOESN'T'. This is a tip from a homeschooling mum I received recently, when I was whingeing about the difficulties of lining up Australian/UK schooling. And now I pass that tip along to you, to help you with the school note situation. So helpful!
ReplyDeleteOur school, bless it, doesn't 'do' homework, aside from reading, so we don't have to worry about that.
ReplyDeleteLower grades have a folder that comes home each day, and any important notes will be in there. AND they try to do a 'once a week' catch up on everything, rather than single notes every day. (Unless it's a lice warning or something similar.)
The one that drives me completely nuts is the school book club orders. WHY can't they have a note with that to tell you when they're due back???
Thank goodness I found out you can actually order direct from the book clubs.
All our notes come via email as part of the school's green policy. Frankly it is a nightmare as I lose track of them far more easily than if they were a paper version. At least I could file those somewhere else, to you know, get lost ;)
ReplyDelete