Hi!
My name is Janice Ferrante.
I am the Queen of KAOS.
Where ever I go, KAOS seems to follow.
It's a never ending battle.
Will I ever defeat KAOS and regain CONTROL?
It will take courage.
It will take persistence.
It will take guts.
And most of all, it will take persistent action in an organized manner.
Can I do that?
Can we do that?
Come a little closer and I'll tell you a secret.
It's actually easier to be consistent and organized than it is to be in constant KAOS.
Follow the tips and use the resources here, and you will be well on your way.
How do you spell RELIEF?
www.queenofkaos.com of course :0)
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ENQUIRING MINDS LIKE TO KNOW…
Hey Jan, why should I listen to you? Are you really a mom, working in the trenches?
Absolutely! I have 3 kids who rock my world. Literally!
Affectionately known as the 3 Mikey's, (they collectively don't like anything. Hmmm, I'm thinking. Nope. They collectively don't like anything) they have made my life what it is today. It's only 6 am, so far, so good.
As of March 17, 08, I will be turning 44. They are 17, 15 and 10. I seem to be at a disadvantage. Depending on how you look at it. But I don't want to go there. I just want to drink green beer tea.
My kids are small, and driving me nuts. Does it get any easier?
NO! In fact, believe it or not, it gets harder. The issues are bigger, the finances are bigger. And they are bigger! That's why I spell KAOS with capital letters.
And if you have small kids, that's why I say enjoy them while you can. Big kids have their own special charm. Little kids are pure magic, put on this earth as a gift. That keeps giving. And giving some more.
The time will fly, even though it doesn't seem like it, and some day you'll be wondering where it went. Where they went. Where your car went…
Do scheduling, routines, systems, consistency and repetition – the things you're always going on about – really work? How do you know, with all that KAOS and all…
They absolutely work.
Sometimes they will seem like more work than dealing with a little bit of KAOS (always like to have me some KAOS. NOT!) and it will be tempting to go back to your old slothish ways (ok, my slothish ways. You may notice on this site that I use your and my interchangeably according to which makes me look better, I was raised in a blended family with 2 sisters and a brother. When all else fails, I didn't do it. Our cat took a lot of flack in our family, let me tell you.)
I've been a slow learner, but in my experience, without scheduling, routines, systems, consistency and repetition (and a few other things like self discipline and dedication) things simply become unmanageable.
And when that happens, I get grumpy. And it isn't pretty. (I can deal with the green part, I was born on St. Patricks Day, it's my favourite colour and goes well with my eyes, but busting out of my clothes like this guy can be a tad bit embarrassing. My kids don't like to have friends over.)
How can I take full advantage of your website?
- By subscribing to receive email notifications of new blog entries on the top side bar of this page.
- Creating your own KAOS Action Planner, printing any of the articles out that appeal to you, and scheduling a block of time through out each week to do the actions that are listed on the end of most of my posts.
If there are no Action Tips, add your own, and do them. Of course, always tweak the tips to suit your situation.
- Subscribe to TAKE 5, it's free and you will be 5 minutes ahead of the game every day by completing your 5 minute assignment. Actually, you will be farther ahead because they all add up to a cleaner and more organized house, in 5 minutes per day.
- Grab your free week of Make It Fun! Quality time activities for kids. It's a big step in the right direction to spend more magical time with your kids. Today.
- Leave comments. Ask questions. Help to make this site better, a place that lifts us all up and sets us down softly on our clean, decluttered favourite chair. When you get routines and habits down, you will actually have time to sit in it. Really.
You can start by leaving a comment below.
Let me know what you are thinking. What are your struggles. Your hopes. Your dreams. I'd love to hear from you. Typing to myself at 6:00 am can be a little lonely sometimes. Until 6:01 when someone, or something realizes that I am awake, even when I type quietly and try not to snort when I laugh.
- Follow me on twitter. Let me know so that I can follow you too. Hopefully we'll get somewhere!
- Checking out the featured products on the site. Not because I am trying to sell you something. Although the proceeds from this website are what keep it going. Without them, I'll be flipping burgers, or more likely hocking donuts, or welcoming you at Walmart. And you won't even know I'm the Queen because I'll be dressed in my Walmart clothes. But mostly because they are things that I have used or written myself and seen success with, and are worth far more than they cost. And most of all, because they will make a difference to you, and your family, to your life.
- Come back and visit me often. Take your shoes off. Sit a spell. And then, take a deep breath. Go accomplish something. Hug your kids. And love being a mom, or a dad. It just doesn't get any better than that.
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Step Up eGuides Says:
April 3rd, 2009 at 3:34 pm[...] – Got control of my money within a week – for the first time in 16 years. Start Making Change today… it really adds up! About [...]
March 26th, 2008 at 12:51 am
Jan,
You are the best. You make me laugh.
AND then you make me want to clean my house, hug my kids, and get some work done….
April 10th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Hi Lisa, thanks so much. As my partner in grime, it means a lot :0)
Lisa keeps me in line at the KAOS headquarters while simultaneously juggling her own businesses AND three boys under 6.
Check out her Make It Fun monthly eGuide – a new activity for every day of the month.
http://queenofkaos.com/home/quality-time-ideas-for-kids/
April 23rd, 2008 at 12:17 pm
3 boys 4 yrs old and under
April 23rd, 2008 at 12:38 pm
the visual sends shivers up my spine :0))
August 17th, 2009 at 6:16 am
Just wanted to let you know that you’ve helped me make a big difference in my life at home. I love Carole Pagan’s book too, and find it full of practical tips that are easy to stick to. Along with take 5, and Spring into Spring Challenge, my home’s sorted. I’d recommend this system to anybody needing to tackle a major house organising project, and when it’s done, knowing that you are able to maintain it all
When is your new Book out Jan?
August 17th, 2009 at 6:57 am
Thank you Fee, I really appreciate your taking the time to comment and let me know, it makes my day!
Carole is wonderful, always interesting and shoots it straight up :0)
If anyone is wondering, you can get her book Secret Confessions of a Clean Freak here http://www.queenofkaos.com/recommends/clean_freak.shtml
I am hoping to have my book (still not 100% sure what to call it) ready for the end of Sept, or maybe even before.
I’ll be sure to be announcing it on Take 5 and my new weekly newsletter that will also be coming out soon.
Thanks again Fee, you make it all worthwhile :0)
August 17th, 2009 at 8:13 am
Looking forward very much to that Jan!
Great! Thanks for posting that link. I’d searched the Take5 site for it and couldn’t find. It’s really worth a look