Before I get to today's terrific guest post, I just want to explain that I'm knee-deep in the Jewish High Holidays and won't be coming up to breathe till at least Oct 27th (when the kids go back-to-school) so if you don't see many blog posts for me  -- you'll know why! (Even the best family manager is superbusy during this holiday season!) Meanwhile, here is a great article from America's Family Manager, Kathy Peel.

My husband and I started our family in the yet-traditional 1970s when most couples would wonder at Bill's knowing how to clean, cook and change a diaper. Wasn't that a wife's work?
     In our case, no it wasn't. Early on, Bill and I concluded that even men can mop floors and drive carpools. We're in this together, we said, even when "together" breeches invisible walls between gender and responsibility.
     In the absence of mentors or books on co-management, Bill and I cobbled a family model from the best of what we knew, including the Bible and the business world. As our home-management guidelines started to jell, our partnership evolved into a Family Manager mindset, a philosophy I've shared with millions of American families for 20 years.
     Every family is an organization, and every organization needs a manager. Most often it is the mother; sometimes - because of salary, benefits, job security, and a host of other reasons - it makes more sense for Dad to be the Family Manager. In every case, the partner who answers the high call is no autocrat. To the contrary, he or she leads by serving. He or she shares responsibility, helps individual members find their niches and grow in them.
     In our family, I'm the managing partner and Bill is chairman of the board. Bill and I are peers, colleagues, committed to a single mission and matching values. We both participate in home operations and take very seriously the job of building equity, if you will, into our home and family. We're a team, working toward common goals that advance individual success as well.
     The family is a great invention. When it's working at its best, it's a uniquely loving and supportive place. It's where unconditional love finds rich expression and produces lasting rewards. However, whether we're office managers, Family Managers, or both, good management skills foster are key to success and a fulfilling, multi-dimensional life.
     Every resource and service we offer is about helping you achieve just that. We're committed to your family's best and your personal success.
 

If you enjoyed this article, you really love Kathy's new book "The Busy Mom's Guide To A Happy, Organized Home" and for more personalized help in learning how to manage your family without losing your mind, consider giving yourself the gift of a Family Manager Makeover  - based on Kathy's system. It's is an investment in your family & your sanity that you'll never regret!