Traveling during peak summer times can be frustrating: the lines are long, the planes are crowded, and it all can make for an uneasy travel experience.
As a mom of two boys, aged 11 and 8, I can appreciate how traveling with young children can feel overwhelming. My boys have surprisingly become wonderful travelers. Whether we’re flying to visit family, or driving on a road trip, they are generally cooperative and eager to behave.
It’s 9:15am Monday morning. I just finished a great ‘Beat Spin and Abs’ class, and I’m feeling good. A bit lonely, but gooooood.
Last week, I sent my boys off to sleepaway camp, together, for the first time. The people I have bumped into have asked me, “So? How does it feel to have both your kids gone for the first time?”
My answer? “On a scale of 1-10… 1,000,000!”
And they just look at me.
Who is this woman who so freely admits she hardly misses her kids and is celebrating her freedom?
The truth is, the first couple of days it felt like I had lost a limb. Like someone had literally cut off my right arm. But now? Now I have a sense of calm, baby. And perhaps even peace. I lie in bed in the morning sipping coffee flipping between The Today Show and Good Morning America. I went to a movie yesterday at 4:30pm. A Sunday afternoon movie that I wanted to see… not a kids movie! I’m hoping to go to the Jazz Fest tonight. I have dinner plans with friends this week. I don’t even feel tired anymore because just the emotional drain of raising children can be exhausting.
And I feel no guilt about my happiness.
My son was blue, limp, lifeless, silent… essentially dead. And then in five moments of interminable chaos, stress, hysteria and prayer, my daughter and I brought him back to life.
It’s not easy to be a stay-at-home mom. It’s not easy to be a working mom. The combination of the two, the mompreneur, has it pretty tough, too. She is trying to manage a business, oftentimes at home while she’s trying to manage her family. The thoughts that go through her head every day leave her passed the point of frazzled.
I should know. I am one. The hardest part of it isn’t the work. It’s not the twelve pages (front and back) of a “to-do” list. It’s not the four hours of sleep per night.
It’s the feeling of being alone.
Throughout my teens and most of my 20’s, I prayed it wouldn’t happen. At 27, I thought I was ready, then the break-up came and I was glad it hadn’t happened. Then at 30, in a stable and happy relationship, I wondered if it would ever happen. Now, firmly into my 32nd year, married to the man who makes my world a better place, I’m starting to wonder whether I ever want it to happen.
Yep, you’ve guessed it; it’s babies.
So what changed?
Pressure.
If I believe the medics I have about 2.5 years to safely have a child without too much concern. After that, my risk of having a down-syndrome child or me bleeding to death on the delivery table grows exponentially.
So, if you’re a parent, maybe you wanted to know some of the hot parenting trends we’re seeing so far in 2015. Some may seem obvious and welcomed (getting back to old school values), others some may seem odd to you.
Since Monday is a great day to implement and start new regimes in your life, I wanted to reach out to all our mommy readers today. On last week’s Global TV segment, I talked about the ins and out of chores and our kids. Age appropriate chores by age, how to engage and involve them, get them started, etc.
Here we go…
We’ve had a big milestone in our house this week. Thank you to the lovely pharmacist in my area who suggested we use THIS. The time has come, the big teeth are growing in, we have a lisp we are trying to cure, and we don’t want those new teeth growing in buck. Thanks to this little number above, thumb sucking has ceased in the Diamond home. I never thought it would be possible.
He chucked the blankie too when he could no longer get his thumb in his mouth, but he’s feeling oh so proud of himself! I’m so very proud of him too. It was seriously like quitting smoking… agitation, difficulty falling asleep, etc… We’re only six days in, but hey, you’ve gotta start somewhere!
Yesterday morning’s Global TV segment was on my Top 6 Must-Reads for Kids. Seeing that tv segments are merely snippets of information, I wanted to share my full list for all moms and dads, grandparents, aunts and uncle, and friends.
We are all trying to raise a reader.
Here goes:
By Guest Blogger Rebecca Mayville
Whether we like it or not, we have our parents to thank for many things. One of my favorites traits I inherited from my mother is the love of a good mystery – whether that mystery lie in a book, or in a hunting down a great recipe or in finding the perfect theme for my son’s birthday party. And perhaps it’s because I take after my mother’s side of the family – in looks and love of all things dipped (food) and sparkly (jewelry), that I can actually see my mother staring back at me in the mirror. My sister is often paired with our father along with their dimpled chins, love of balancing checkbooks, and ability to actually turn on and operate a vacuum.
Imagine my reaction then when I had a very startling realization – I might actually have inherited a few traits from my father! Don’t ask me how I realized this or what exactly triggered the notion (side note: the art of selective memory is also a gift I acquired from my mother), but now that the thought was in my head, I knew I had to follow the lead and of course I gave it a name and called it The Case of the Reflection In The Ice.
I help busy women (like you!) prioritize self-care so you can experience less stress, more calm and greater joy every day!
