Trying to Be the Mom Who Does It All?
By Sandy Schroeder
If you are a mom, you know all too well what it means to do it all. Each day, moms get up, have their coffee, serve breakfast, feed the dog, and pull the whole family together for the day ahead.
This may all happen quite early, and there are still miles to go to cover the day. Much later, it’s time to collect kids, return home to whip up dinner, check homework, read stories and see about baths and bedtime.
When things fall apart, it is always at the worst possible time. Just as you are about to make a presentation at work, your child calls with an emergency. Somehow you manage to pull off the presentation and solve the emergency.
But the question is how do you keep the pace, keep your sanity, and make sure your family is good?
Home runs are rare in family matters. But the players still know who cares, and who is just going through the motions. Kids have a way of looking right through all of the surface stuff. So be assured, they know you care, and are doing your best, even when the potatoes are lumpy, or the gravy needs thickening.
The secret is to care and learn some good survival tips.
Take Time for Little Things – Walk the dog after dinner, or talk at bedtime to give them a chance to tell you what is really going on in their lives.
Be There for Real – As you sit down to dinner with them, let everyone have a turn talking, and really listen. If you are mentally calculating your next move at work instead of listening, a lot is lost.
Remember How to Play – Surprise them, and yourself, with spontaneous outings. Heading to the nearest park and joining them on the swings is way better than hanging out at home with all of the screens on.
Enlist Some Good Backup – Look around and see what you can do to spread the load, trading play dates, or finding classes for them and for you. I have a friend who always fits an hour of yoga into her weekly schedule. She says that hour of time makes her a better mom, wife, and friend.
Give Your Best – Stay in the moment wherever you are. If you are always thinking about the kids when you are at work, or work when you are at home, you are losing a lot of traction and missing out on some really good moments. Do your best wherever you are and enjoy.