What I have learned in almost 6 dog years…….

So how many mom’s out there put a ton of shit on their plate?(not literally).  What I mean is you want to please everyone you love, everyone you know and pretty much just about everyone else?  As our babies get older and start with activities some of us jump and say, “I will be a coach, or I will be the Daisy leader, or I will volunteer in my kids school, or I will be the team mom or I can bake for that event, or sure sign me up and I will do whatever the hell you want me to do?”  Speaking from experience or plain gone “nutso” that is me.  As mom’s we feel this is our job since some of us do not have a 9-5er…..  Don’t get me wrong, volunteering is an amazing gift you can give.  Whether it is for your child’s teacher or a team you rock!  Sometimes however, we do not know when to say, “Okay my house is a mess, I have no food in the fridge, I forget what my husband looks like, or even am I married?”  You get the point right?

Luckily I was given the most patient and supportive hubby.  He still thinks I am psycho because I cannot simply say “no”.  Sometimes I sit and think do I really want to say no?  I love being the mom, coach, wife, volunteer, substitute, business owner and help people stay healthy and fit.  I do not want to give any of this up because I love being it all!  With that said, I have realized from time to time that I literally can feel my brain on an amusement park ride, going round and round.  I feel like my head is ready to soar off my neck.  Do you know what I mean, or can you relate?  Has this only happened to me?  I don’t think so. 

My brain was having a “teacup” moment at an amusement park the other day and my daughter and I were off to do some errands.  We got in the car; I closed the door and just let out a huge sigh.  Avery asked me what the matter was and I just wanted to cry but didn’t and said, “I just wish I could do it all, stay organized, and have a clean house and a beautiful flower garden.  Avery looked at me with her big brown killer eyes and said, “Then start saying no”.  I was so taken back that my 10 year old even noticed my life and how it was unfolding.  She went on to say, “Mom you are always doing everything for everybody.  You need to show me your calendar.”  I took it out ( I was not going to mess with her at this moment) and she opened it and said okay what is going on this day?”  I answered that pretty much every day was filled.  She flipped the pages and continued on, “What about that Friday?”  I was shocked I actually had no plans.  She said, “Cross it out right now and write not doing anything”.  I did what she said, because she really was not messing around.  She then went on further and said, “Alright I will make plans to get Rocco and me out of the house.”  I wanted to cry right then and there.

I now know what someone means when they say our children are our best teachers.  I as a child always remember not wanting to upset people or rock the boat.  I was always apologizing for everything I said or did that sounded dumb.  Avery on the other hand always said no as a child, and never succumbed to caring what other people were saying or doing.  A valuable lesson was just introduced to me by my kid.

I still am very busy and do stress out.  I now however am AWARE and am saying “no” every now and again.  I do like to have my fingers in every pie.  I make the choice of putting my fingers in each pie and I apparently love every flavor.  There always be from time to time I get overwhelmed and “overeat” some pie.   In the end though, it always smooth’s out and I’m  back piling shit on my pie plate…………

Manga, manga………..