Mom Reflections

Life is full, full of so many individuals to relate to and responsibilities to manage. My heart is full, my mind is full, my emotions are full. My time and my schedule are full. So full, there isn't room for one more need, one more opportunity to help another, one more cry to ...Moooooooom for help, one more touch on my skin that begs for attention and intimacy.  So where do I go from here? How do I move forward in the new year to be open to the needs of others, the opportunities that may come my way, the moments for love,  the potential to teach, to comfort, to nurture. I start by decluttering my inbox to eliminate the asks and advertisers begging for my time. I eliminate the influence social media has on my emotions by hiding the posts that hurt, that cause me to compare, that drain my emotions which are needed for much more important and valuable ones.  I clean out the drawers, the cupboards, the closets of unused, unappreciated toys, movies, games, supplies. I give awa

Help, my daughter is a tween! Let me clarify that, in fact, she is only 10. Am I in trouble or what?  My daughter is amazing, creative, full of life and more ideas than I can fit in my brain. But, she exhausts me. Every idea, I feel needs a wait, not now. We can't afford that right now, let's think about this more realistically. Why can't you just go play with your sister and brothers? Mom, can I make this five course elaborate meal that actually requires your step by step help? Mom, can I sew a designer dress without a pattern when I've never had sewing lessons and you only know how to sew a straight  stitch? Mom, can I take 6 dance classes, two art classes, piano, sewing, soccer, and karate? I ask myself, how can I encourage and support her excitement for life and desire to "subdue the earth" with her creativity, "set about her work vigorously"? How can I do these things while also encouraging contentment, gratitude, and a gentle and quiet spirit

I have four wonderfully energetic and creative kids. I teach part time all year and get to spend the summer at home with my kids, which I love.  Inevitably, though the first two weeks are a give and take of setting boundaries, redefining expectations, and the kids figuring out how to get along with each other all day. These are some of the things we try to stick to in order to make our summer days more enjoyable and agreeable. Chores must be done before fun, however fun can be interspersed with chores-dancing in the kitchen, squirting each other with the hose while gardening. What you take out,  you put away and when asked to help put away things that don't belong to you, you do it. Reading or I-pad learning games for 20 minutes in the morning before other technologies can be used. Everyone helps no matter what age. Our 5 and 7 year old are master kitchen cleaners. Our 12 year old mows the lawn, takes out the trash. Our 10 year old helps cook dinner, makes lunches, cleans bath