Best Calendars for Families
I love my computer and use it several times a day. I still have a thing about paper and pencil and it makes my husband insane. I have our monthly bills on a printed sheet I check off as I pay them, even though I have plenty of computerized options for the task. I continue to fill my address book with the names, addresses and phone numbers of friends, even though I have a perfectly good address book on my computer. I have iCal on my computer but I still like to have a calendar to write events on.
My husband thinks it’s a waste of time, but I like the concrete nature of the pen and paper. I like a calendar the kids can see, especially now that they’re older and can keep track of some of their own activities. I also like having a calendar I can look back at years later and remember what we were doing 3 or 4 years ago. Just call me a Luddite.
My supermom friend, the one with twice my energy and about 110% more commitments than me, swears by The Mom Agenda. This planner gives space for each of your children’s schedules, your schedule and space for important reminders, lists, meal planning and errands. The meal planning aspect alone is enough to make me buy it for myself today. Add to that my incredible excitement over pretty blank pages full of the promise of a world where I never forget anything, it’s irresistible. Of course, I have about 40 other things to buy….you know since I haven’t done any shopping.
Of course, the agenda calendar doesn’t give the rest of my family a visual way to keep track of things. The Stendig Calendar is definitely visible with plenty of room to write notes. Hard to miss one might say. Years ago when my husband and I worked at Crate and Barrel, he would hide one of these calendars in the stockroom to purchase in the day after Christmas 50% markdowns. Cheap and sneaky, I love him.
Too big a statement? Too much wall space? Here’s a nice one from Real Simple. This calendar includes 560 reusable labels in four colors you assign to different people, activities or categories. I know, Real Simple has me by the nose, they’ve appealed to my love of clean organization and a world where there is a right way to do things and that way will make my life easier. Forgive me.
Not pretty enough? This Herman Yu calendar is beautiful to look at while keeping track of soccer practice and your best friend’s birthday. You can see all the pages of this beautiful calendar here and as the website suggests, you can frame these prints after the month is over.
Not funny enough? These ‘guy’ calendars from Monikers use your favorite guy’s name in photographs to mark each month of the year. All my girlfriend’s husband’s were represented. But, as was the case during his childhood, no Logan. Maybe in 20 years.
Still not clever enough? This calendar from Dadadum isn’t as functional as an organizational tool, though you can write events on each day, but my kids would love this (almost) as much as they love their chocolate advent calendar. Each day of the month is represented on a dot, connecting these dots each day results in a picture. Seems like a fun way to teach kids about numbers and the days of the month.
Not tech-y enough? You think paper is overrated? Are you my husband? Cozi will fill your need for organization without the pesky pen and paper. This calendar site helps keep your family organized online, allowing you to send messages back and forth, color code your appointments and tasks and a place to put your grocery list among other things. It’s certainly tempting however, you have to use a PC to set up Cozi on your computer. Once it’s added, you can use a Mac to update your calendar but without a PC we’re out of luck. You can use it though if you have one of those….PCs.
You know, I’d love to keep chatting but I’ve got about 84 stores to get to in the next three hours. Whatever holidays you celebrate, I hope yours is (or has been) wonderful.
