Haven · Field notes
Notes from the household.
Practical guides for running a family — chore systems, meal planning, routines, and honest reviews of the tools we test.
- ·12 min read
A family video game agreement that holds
A video game agreement covering time limits, content rules, and what happens when they get broken — plus how to enforce it without a fight every night.
screen-timefamily-rulesgaming-contractRead - ·3 min read
Get kids cooking: kitchen tasks by age
Which kitchen jobs a child can genuinely handle at each age, from toddlers to teens, and how letting them help actually makes weeknight cooking faster.
kids-cookingmeal-prepage-appropriateRead - ·13 min read
A bedtime routine for kids 4–12 that actually sticks
A calm, consistent bedtime routine for kids 4–12, with a template you can copy. Practical steps to wind down, connect, and end the night without a fight.
bedtime-routinesleeproutinesRead - ·10 min read
Family screen time rules that work, ages 6–16
Screen time rules by age, by context, and by what kids are actually doing on the screen — limits that still hold up at the end of a tired Tuesday.
screen-timeparentingrulesRead - ·9 min read
Morning routines for kids: 3 free templates
Build a morning routine for kids that doesn't end in yelling. Three templates — school days, weekends, summer — plus the fix for most morning chaos.
routinesmorningskidsRead - ·9 min read
Summer schedules for kids: a 10-week plan
A practical summer schedule for kids: how to balance camp, family time, free play, and just enough structure to get through ten weeks intact.
summerkids-routinesschedulingRead - ·9 min read
How much allowance to give kids, by age
Typical weekly allowance amounts by age, the four payout structures families actually use, and an honest answer on whether to tie it to chores.
allowancekids-moneyrewardsRead - ·9 min read
Age-appropriate chore chart: ages 3 to 17
What chores can a 4-year-old actually do? A real chore chart by age, 3 to 17, with copy-paste templates and the rule that decides what belongs where.
choresparentingage-appropriateRead - ·9 min read
5 chore rotation systems that stay fair
Round-robin, fixed-day, weekly shift, point-weighted, ability-based. Pick the one that matches your house, copy the template, ignore the rest.
choresfamily-systemstemplatesRead - ·5 min read
A 30-minute Sunday meal plan that holds up
A five-step Sunday system for planning the week's meals — built for the week where soccer runs late and the plan has to bend without breaking.
meal-planningweekly-routinestemplatesRead