The Challenge
My son, Ramzi, and I were getting into a rut. Every morning we’d wake up and get ready for school. After a few minutes of cuddling on the couch and having a little snack to start the day it would be time to get dressed and head to school. That’s when the wheels fell off. He’d say he was too tired or couldn’t get his clothes on. I would start calmly but very soon get frustrated and we’d be at logger heads for several minutes going back and forth.
By the time we finally got out the door we’d be running late. That brought the next challenge of how to get to school. Walk or take the bus. Because of the time we used up arguing, walking was often the only choice left because of the bus schedule. This brought on more frustration and argument.
Another challenge that started to come up was him wanting to get more food on the way to school at one of two bagel shops or a favorite pastry shop instead of the food available in the school cafeteria.
The Aha Moment – March 2017
After several weeks of this I was on the train working on a project when it hit me. Could I use a lean tool to help our mornings? The idea of a Kanban board started to form. Could we use the board together as a visual tool to involve Ramzi in the decision making process?
When I got home that night I got some painters tape and stickie notes and made a beta version to discuss with him in the next morning.
“Morning Steps” Board 1.0
I titled the board “Morning Steps” and made two columns. To do and Done. I made a stickie for each day and some for a few of the things we do each morning. When he woke up I explained how I thought we could use it and he was open to trying it. He immediately started arranging the “to do” items. He then suggested we make a spot that would identify the special thing that was happening each day. That day it was swim class. He also suggested different color post-its for different parts of the board. The Post-its denoting the “special” items would be pink, his favorite color!
As he started doing each step he stopped and said “I love this new board!”
“Morning Steps” Board 2.0
That night I used his suggestions to develop version two of the board.
I made a corral of sorts for days of the week and common special events and color coded them. By this time his little sister, Mena, wanted one too so I made one for her and added icons to her post-its
More experimentation
One weekend morning a couple of weeks later, Ramzi asked if we could make an “All day board” so we gave it a try. Here’s an example of a weekend day and the result. The board actually helped both of us figure out the best way to do all the steps in making pasta and have time to play as well. After a first pass I realized that if I boiled the beets and made the meatballs first we’d have more time to take a break while the dough rested.
All day board: Grocery shopping and making pasta
Sustaining the Process
It’s been three months and the use of the board ebbs and flows. Sometimes we use it for the morning and sometimes for all day boards. Some days we use it for jokes. We both put silly tasks up to see who will notice them: “Swim with the ducks” “walk upside down”. He also enjoys writing on the post-its, which gives him another chance to practice that skill. I’m not sure how long we’ll keep the board up but I think it’s helped us both with the morning routine. It doesn’t stop all the arguments (he is five afterall) but it’s helped us both have a different perspective about our routine and how we could work together to make it happen.
For me one of the big Aha moments was remembering how important a sense of control is for children and how important visual learning is for them. The board helps to level the playing field and helps Ramzi have a say in how the day goes while gaining an understanding of all the things that need to happen in a day. Using the Kanban board at home with our family “team” finally gave me the spark I needed to use one at work. I’ve got it right next to my desk and it’s already helped me see the big picture without getting overwhelmed by it. The board helps me and my fellow planning team sort, prioritize and focus on the tasks at hand.
Work Kanban board
The Team
Ramzi is 5 ½ and Mena is 3. We live in Harlem and love exploring all NYC has to offer.
