The rest of the story

It has been a long time since I've written here. I'd like to say that I'm too busy - work, baseball, gym, home projects, family visits, not to mention the day to day homework, dinner, laundry...I could obviously go on and on. But, the list of responsibilities is only part of the story. The rest of the story seems complicated but is really very simple.

I love my children but I also love my time. My time to write and my time to run and my time to just relax. Kids change life but they don't need to change me as a person. I've spent time around a lot of different parents. Some have tremendous balance between all aspects of their life, some are hyper-involved with their kids lives and have forgotten about the things they used to love and some have decided that their wants and desires are more important than their kids.

I haven't figured out where I fit yet. I get annoyed when my house is cluttered or practices are scheduled on the evenings of my favorite FIT class at the gym. I have friends that get annoyed when their kids are sick or their husbands are traveling. The reality is that we all have our quirks and we all have our boiling points but we also all make our own choices.

So I'm trying to make better choices to enable family enjoyment rather than family stress. A few things I've learned... a healthy dinner doesn't have to take an hour to prepare. Laundry remains just as clean in the laundry basket as it does in the bureau. I may not make it to the gym on many days, but I can run around the baseball fields while the kids are practicing. And my favorite choice, I do not need to spend hours each week "helping" with school projects.

I have found that I can let things go and I can back off. I love to be involved but I don't need to be hyper-involved. I need to be supportive and I need to ask questions and show encouragement but I don't need to insert myself in every single moment. So when I go to the ball field I can chat with my friends and I can get in a quick workout without jeopardizing my ability to be a parent.

The rest of the story is simple. I will always love to hear my kids tell me about their days and relive their stories with them, I will always love to see their projects - even those that aren't as pretty or as polished as their classmates. I will be involved and I will love and support, and in doing so I will continue to be a less-stressed version of me.