Create a “Possibilities” Calendar

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    • I often hear about fun things going on about town, but I’m not ready to schedule them into my day/week/month. Other times, I find myself and my kids with a free hour or afternoon and wonder, “What can we do with this little snatch of time?” After years of stumbling along with both of these problems, Google Calendar (and a little no-duh thinking) has presented me with a solution: my own personal events calendar which I call “Possibilities.”

    possibilities-resized.png

    I
    keep track of my schedule using GCal, and I’ve taken advantage of the
    ability to create separate calendars for different categories of
    events. I have calendars for each of my kids, for birthdays, for Parent
    Hacks-related deadlines and meetings, and now, for     possibilities
    – those one-time-only or recurring events that might be fun to try if
    I find myself with free time. What goes into the “Possibilities”
    calendar? Gym classes I might like to take. Library story times. Dates
    and times for local performances and festivals. Open swim times at our
    local pool. The IMAX and Planetarium schedules from our science museum.
    Craft or project ideas. Anything I can tuck into an unexpectedly free
    hour or two that might be fun for me, the kids, or the whole family.

    Asha Dornfest
    Asha Dornfest
    Asha Dornfest is the founder of Parent Hacks -- where savvy parents swap clever, often unconventional, parenting tips. Here's the practical, real-world stuff you'll never find in an "expert" book. Featured in Real Simple, Parents, and PC Magazine.

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    5 of 21 Articles:
    • http://profile.typepad.com/riotbrrd Kim Ladin

      Hey, Asha. Wondering what calendar system you use?

    • http://profile.typepad.com/parenthacks Asha Dornfest

      I use Google Calendar synced with an iPhone. (The iPhone is my husband’s cast-off — I only use it with Wifi as a calendar/to-do, not as a phone.)

    • http://profile.typepad.com/vorhaus Robbie Vorhaus

      Dear Asha, an extraordinary idea. time to meditate, hug the kids, get quiet, get LOUD, anything not ordinarily scheduled. brilliant and i thank you. your new fan, rv

    • http://profile.typepad.com/6p0000000000000014 Julie

      Great idea! I use GCal too and really like it. I will soon get a smart phone and am interested in the synching of the calendar to the phone – whole new world for me who until this phone device comes along has been in prehistoric cell phone times.

      • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003406334681 Sutrisno

        Thank you so much for adding the Daisy Janie caladner to your grouping. Great company to be in!Your blog has such a nice feel to it I’ve been reading for some time now and always love it!Jan

      • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003406364358 Imsobad

        This is a great program, I’d been lnooikg for a way to sync with my Google calendar easily and tried a lot of different methods. The only problem I have is the calendar items that I create on my blackberry get added to the calendar each time I sync, so I wind up with multiple entries for the same event otherwise this works like a charm!!

    • http://profile.typepad.com/6p0000000000000014 Jennypher

      I rarely comment in the online world, but I just had to this time because this is EXACTLY what I do with GCal! My friends think I’m crazy but it helps keep me organized! I have a specific calendar of activities to do with the kids — storytimes, craft events, open play times, etc… and I do the same thing with birthdays! I LOVE GOOGLE CALENDAR! Thanks for all your informative posts… I have been a fan since Parent Hacks! :-)

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003406357724 Ridwan

      I have installed it on my curve 2 weeks ago 8-3-08.. flwleass sync from Thunderbird > Google > to Blackberry.very very impressed my family members ( with Google acct’s ) can add items to Google calendar and i get all notifications.. perfect and well made! no known issues!