K is for Kanban

I have organizational challenges. This is no great surprise to anyone who has spent any amount of time with me. I also love gadgets and systems and things, and am forever trying out the new latest and greatest way to keep my life (brain, house, what have you) in order.

The latest nifty tool I've stumbled upon is so simple it almost seems silly. I've been playing with it four a couple weeks now, and am really enjoying my personal Kanban board! What is "Kanban", you ask? Well, from the Personal Kanban website, "A kanban is a tool to visualize, organize, and complete work." Todd Clarke at GetLit (an IT blog) offers his usage of the board, complete with pictures. I love the layout he has used, and thoroughly intend to copy it.  LOL  The whiteboard I have setup at home is much simpler, but doesn't quite do the trick. 

Todd Clarke's super-cool Personal Kanban board at LeanKit Kanban

In a fantasy world, I would have a big flat-screen monitor on the wall of my office, displaying my own personal Kanban using something like the LeanKit Kanban site - and everything could be done with a few clicks of the mouse! As it is, however, I think I'll make do with my whiteboard, colored dry erase markers, and different colored sticky notes.  :)

F is for Focus

We've been having parenting challenges with a couple of our little ones lately, primarily revolving around a lack of ability to focus and pay attention. They can be told something - instructions, a rule, or what have you - and moments later it is as if they never heard it. As you can imagine, this is rather frustrating. Admittedly, they come by it honestly... I was diagnosed with both ADD and "absent seizures" as an adolescent, and these two definitely share those tendencies!

However, I am of the opinion that behavior is learned. While they may have tendencies toward spaciness and forgetfulness, they can (and will) learn ways to deal with it - as I continue to do even today. Staying on top of things is a constant struggle for me, and I see that reflected in my girls' behavior. It's not out of any sense of laziness or malice, just a simple "Oops; I forgot!" ... But it does have real-world consequences, some of them pretty serious. As an adult, if they "forget" that they have work on a certain day, for example, that could very well be the end of their job - setting in motion a whole crazy CHAIN of consequences!

I am finding that there is no easy answer to teaching my children how to pay attention, focus and think through their actions. It is a constant process of learning (or teaching, depending on where you stand), and is different for every person. An excellent article I came across that offers some practical and effective suggestions for teaching children to focus is titled (prepare to be shocked) "Helping Children Learn to Pay Attention", by Jane M. Healy.

Many of the suggestions Dr. Healy offers are things we already do in our household. Many others are things I understand and support, and just haven't had the time to put into practice! Family martial arts and yoga have been on my "must-do" list for a long time now, for example. *laughing*

I have to wonder... Would so many kids (and grownups) have "ADD" and other focus difficulties if we didn't spend so much time indoors and plugged in?? I highly doubt it. Someday, we'll move out to the country and test that theory.  :)

B is for.... BENTO!!

... We watch anime at our house. A LOT of anime. Not the whole "fighting robots" or Pokemon stuff; generally unique, interesting, fun and well-thought-out shows that just happen to be animated! Well... okay, some of it's a little weird - like the zombie living with a necromancer and a vampire ninja and a weird magical girl who carries a pink chainsaw and... you get the point. ;)

One of the common themes in many of the anime shows we watch is a thing called "Bento". Bento is apparently what everyone in Japan eats for lunch. Unless they're eating Yakisoba sandwiches, of course (which are actually weird but quite good). Bento can be any of a number of things, ranging from simple finger foods (think Lunchables) to crazy Hello Kitty shaped rice balls (called "onigiri") with cheese and fruit cutout shapes. Seriously. Do a Google image search for "Bento" and see what comes up!

I have no idea how they create half the stuff they do - but I want to learn!! After digging for a bit, I've discovered shaped rice molds and cutout punches for seaweed (to make faces and such), a myriad of different bento boxes (which are really freaking cool) and TONS of other accessories. No more boring lunches for my kids! LOL

Admittedly, I'm a bit concerned about the amount of time it could possibly take to put something like this together:

... But doesn't that make lunch seem a little more entertaining?? And besides, if I'm going to take up a hobby, why not make it something sort of useful?! Now, if only I could find a nanny and housekeeper willing to work in exchange for room and Bento... :)