Years ago the average plantation had a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker. Today we buy our meat pre-cut, our rolls already baked, and our candles by the pack. But that doesn’t mean we have it easy. We have to run to the bank, pay the car registration, get the oil changed, serve on jury duty, shop for better cell-phone rates, grocery shop, investigate green energy, hem a new pair of pants, change a light bulb, work out, and hunt down school supplies—all in a day’s work. My husband and I often lament how much time it takes to co-manage our contemporary “plantation.”

Enter Kathy Peel, founder and CEO of Family Manager. She helps families run their households. And in her latest book, The Busy Couple’s Guide to Sharing the Work and the Joy, Peel provides tools (like advice, charts, checklists, and questions to consider) for dividing household duties, stretching the family dollar, meal planning, family team building, and integrating faith habits into your family's routine. In every chapter her hubby adds his two cents as well.