Julie Gumm - Author

  • Blog
    • Adoption
    • Affording Adoption
    • Orphans & Social Justice
    • Financial Freedom
    • Family Matters
  • Book
    • Book Reviews
    • Media
  • Resources
    • Adoption Window Decals
    • Budgeting
    • Adoption Grants
    • Fundraising Affiliates
    • Employer Adoption Benefits
    • Must-Read Books for Adoptive & Foster Parents
    • Links
  • Speaking
    • Adopt Without Debt Workshop
  • About & Contact

Another Family System

02.17.2009 by juliegumm@yahoo.com //

So it we’ve added another “family system” to our repitore that includes color coding – the van seating chart. For the last six weeks EVERY time we get in the car there is a lengthy discussion over who is sitting where. At first it was just the boys arguing over who got to sit by the door (in our 3 door van). Then the girls decided they wanted their turn in the middle seat.

And this momma got FED UP!

So yesterday I told them “No More!” and that from now on there would be a seating chart that would change every Monday morning.

Last night I came up with this:

seatingchart

It ain’t pretty, but it works. There is a five week rotation – for two weeks we sit boy/boy & girl/girl (but not in the same spot) and after that we rotate so they get to sit with each person but in different spots. So two of the five weeks they are sitting by the same person and somewhere in there they repeat their “seat”.  I printed them up, stapled them together and they will stay in the van. I have plans to make them look a little nicer, laminate them and put them on a key ring to leave in the car.

Dad took the kids to school this morning so I haven’t heard how the implementation went, but I am hoping that it will cause a lot less problems.

Share this:

  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket

Categories // Family Matters Tags // Red Letters Campaign - Adoption Journal (Julie)

Comments

  1. Stacey says

    February 17, 2009 at 11:47 am

    You cracked me up this morning when telling me about the seating chart. Isn’t it so neat to have Wen and Beza home now and see them fighting with Noah and Natalie? Makes it so much more real that you’re a family of 6 :o)

  2. Kelly says

    February 18, 2009 at 10:19 am

    just saw your blog on CAFEkids. 🙂 I read this and thought you were talking about my van!!! ha ha My children fight more over who sits where in the van than who gets more cookies.

  3. beBOLdjen says

    February 18, 2009 at 12:06 pm

    You’re so organized. And nice too. I just laid down the law and assinged permanent seats. What a bore I am. No lamination no color codes…… Do you offer training courses? ahahahah

  4. Phil says

    February 21, 2009 at 1:53 am

    Sounds like you’re daddy’s girl after all. He’d be so proud of your system! Did you create that on a spreadsheet? Tricia wants to know.

About Me

Writer. Wife. Mother. Traveler. Coffee-addict. Book-lover. Television-Junkie. I love stories. Hearing them, watching them, telling them, living them.

The Book


More Info
Available at these retailers:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christian Book | Cokesbury

Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Receive Posts Via Email

* indicates required

Categories

  • Adoption
    • 30 Things I Know About Adoption Series
    • Post-Adoption
  • Affording Adoption
    • Adoption Fundraiser Spotlight
    • Fundraising
  • Depression
  • Faith
  • Family Matters
    • Creativity
  • Featured Articles
  • Financial Freedom
  • Orphans & Social Justice
  • The Book

Archives

Copyright © 2025 · Modern Studio Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in