Juggling
Military spouses are expert jugglers. We tend to only have a second of time to let each task hit the palm of our hand before we toss it upward to keep the next task from falling on the ground. I think even the most talented jugglers among us realize they have their limits as to how many balls or bowling pins they have up in the air.
The end of the school year approacheth! This always entails a lot of extra juggling. We have finals and testing to help prepare for, we have final performances galore to attend, we have graduations to congratulate on and we have summer activities to plan.
I am wore out just thinking about it all!
As you face the season ahead of you, have you decided already what is going to give now that the kids are out of school? You know it’s coming. Something, somewhere has to give or ease up in order for you to hold onto the sanity you have (at least for those of you lucky enough to still have some sanity!)
In the hustle and bustle of busy summer months, vacations, activities and kids whining of how bored they are, please consider this your summer business public service announcement: Busy times make for busy parents, busy parents make for worn out adults. Be good to yourself. Keep a close eye on your stress levels. The higher your stress is the lower your fuel.
If you wear yourself out the fun will not be as fun. Say no when you need to, and when kids whine that they are bored give them a small plastic grocery bag to place the weeds they are about to uproot for you. Usually a good dose of work cures the summer time blahs and encourages creativity.
Do you need some ideas on quick stress relievers?
Visit our archives HERE and find a list of 7 quick stress busters.
Don’t forget the sunscreen!
May 14th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Claire, I find it funny that you have choosen this topic to write on. I sometimes wonder at the end of the week where the week went at the same time I am thanking God that I made it through it!
Raising two kids, working, taking care of extended family, and remodeling a home…. all while hubby is gone… well sometimes I get a bit on the fried side of life. But this week I had a real gut check. My son turned 14. I stood and looked hard at the young man in front of me and realized that he was no longer the baby I brought home from the hospital, but rather a young man only 4 years from graduating high school.
Where I am going with all of this is to simply say that although life is scary busy, and I don’t have time to shave my legs unless its 3 am and there is no hot water left because I have been doing laundry all night, that maybe we should all STOP occasionally, and take a deep breath and realize why are so busy. Let the laundry pile up…. and play catch in the back yard instead. They are only a loaner gift from God. You only get them for so long, then they will have their own lives. So take the time now, while you have it.
May 18th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
You are very right! They are just on loan and it does go by way too fast!