Leave a comment

Mother of the Year

Posted by Suzanne on April 10, 2014 in Family, Life

Mother of the Year BannerRecently, a friend of mine posted a confession on her Facebook page.  Basically, she had a pretty rough week, one of the kids wanted donuts and fried chicken for dinner, so she sent her husband to pick them up at the grocery store.  Happy kids, immediate problem solved.  When I read it, I chuckled and though, “been there”.

After a little while I got to thinking.  I was really happy that she bared her “mother of the year” moment.  In this picturesque, how does she do it all, age of Pinterest, I’m glad she was honest.  Sometimes it’s really hard to juggle kids, work, relationships and a household.  Sometimes one (or more) of the balls gets dropped and all we can do is pick up donuts and chicken for dinner.

I’ve had a few “mother of the year” moments of my own, but there are too many to list here.  My honorable mentions include sending questionably healthy kids to school because I really didn’t want to stay home (Florence Nightingale I am not) and uncontrollable laughter when my child walked straight into a store display (I did warn her).  It will be interesting in ten or twenty years to hear from my kids what my shortcomings as a mom are.  Those probably won’t even make their lists.

As mom we all are happy to share our perfect birthday parties, nutritionally rich meals and sitcom worthy family outings.  We all have those moments, they’re fun to share.  But, why don’t we share more of the messiness and fatigue of the trenches?  Maybe it’s because we’re just too tired and exhausted to type or be funny about it?  There’s a lot of reward to being a mom, but there’s a lot of exasperation too.

What makes it worse is that there’s a lot of judgment that goes on among moms. We’re all challenged with this monumental task of raising healthy, happy, well-rounded little humans and instead of supporting one another we judge each other.

  • Working at a Career Moms v. Working at Home Moms
  • Conventionally Grown Food Eaters v. Organically Grown Food Eaters
  • Public School v. Private School
  • Screen Time for Kids v. No Screen Time for Kids
  • The list goes on and on….

I know it’s not easy, but let’s detach from the competition and judgement among moms.  Can we just appreciate that our experiences are just that and don’t have to be measured against another’s?  We are all good at our thing and can all use a little help in one area or another.  Let’s appreciate when the “aww” Instagram photo is posted as much as the oh sh*&, I was supposed to bring treats moment.

So, I’m taking nominations for Mother of the Year 2014.  What’s your favorite not-so-stellar mom moment?  C’mon, you know you have one.

Enjoy the Journey, even if you get lost or someone pukes along the way!

Suzanne

Tags: , , Permalink
Leave a comment

Spring De-Cluttering

Posted by Suzanne on March 25, 2014 in Life

ClutterIt’s Spring!  Plants are popping up, the temperature is warming and it’s time for Spring Cleaning!

Lately I’ve been focusing on reducing the clutter that makes it’s way into the house or begins to take up space.  If we can prevent the clutter from happening, maybe we can minimize those annual or seasonal purges.  Here are a few areas to consider for preventing clutter.

1.  Virtual Clutter – When was the last time you really looked at the Groupon email?  Unsubscribe from companies and sites that clog up your inbox or change your subscription settings to receive fewer emails.  If you just skip by it or automatically delete it then take a few minutes to change your settings.  You can always take a look at their website or Facebook page if you need to.  If you still do want to receive offers but don’t want to clutter up your regular inboxScreen Shot 2014-03-25 at 8.37.41 AM, set up a separate email address.  I’ve been doing this for years and it works.  Anytime I purchase something online or want to subscribe to get a coupon or offer I use my “shopping” email address.  Then, when I’m heading out to shop or going online, I just check that email box for relevant offers.  Every so often, I just delete all of the emails under that ID.

2.  Paperless – Do you really need a paper copy of that electric bill?  Most of our account and billing information for just about everything can be found online.  Chances are, their filing and access system is a little more efficient than yours.  And it eliminates the need for shredding!  So, request paperless billing (maybe even set up a separate email address for just bills).  Many companies will give you account credit or other benefits by going paperless.  Paperless also saves on paper used to print your statement and energy costs to deliver that bill via traditional mail.  Worried you’ll forget a payment?  Put a monthly reminder on your calendar or better yet, use the billpay feature with your bank.

3.  Leftover Night – Can you name all of the leftover or about to expire food in your fridge right now?  If not, there’s probably too much piling up.  And throwing away uneaten, spoiled food is like throwing away money!  Make a habit of using leftovers right away.  We regularly have leftovers for lunch or dinner, about twice a week, to clear out the refrigerator.  This really cuts down on food waste.  What also works is making only what you will eat and freezing extra portions right away.

Kid Art4.  Schoolwork – Have a pile of little Picasso’s work collecting dust on your counter?  It’s amazing how much paperwork kids get through during the school week.  First, give the work it’s due recognition.  That can range from, “great job on that math assignment” to a spot on your refrigerator or art wall.  We have a magnetic display board that cycles through recent artwork or other notable work.  After the appropriate recognition reuse or recycle.  Use the blank side of worksheets for printer paper or note paper and then recycle the rest.  If you really can’t part with it, take a photo or find a permanent home in a frame on the wall.  Give some ownership to your kids to prioritize.  Give them a storage box for school work treasures and they can decide what deserves to stay and what can go.

5.  10 for 1 – Do you find kids’ treasures just lying around?  If something is important, they’ll take care of it or pay a ransom for it.  In our house, if an objects are left about I will confiscate them, usually after they have been reminded to pick it up and put it away.  After a few days it gets donated to someone who probably needs it more than they do.  If it’s something that’s really important to them, they can trade 10 things for that 1 item.  Works like a charm, I usually only have to confiscate the item once and I clear away some bonus clutter.  You can also employ the 1 in 1 out rule.  When items come into the house after birthday parties or shopping trips something else needs to give up it’s spot.

So, put a little energy into eliminating or reducing the clutter that sneaks it’s way into your house.  Make space for the “stuff” that really matters.

Enjoy the Journey!

Suzanne

Tags: , , , , Permalink
3 Comments

The Gift of Sacrifice

Posted by Suzanne on March 6, 2014 in Life

GiftIt seems as though “sacrifice” has taken on a negative connotation.  When used in conversation or the media, sacrifice is usually portrayed as giving up or doing without with great angst and discomfort, it can even be portrayed as a punishment.  Is this really what sacrifice has become?  Can we change our perspective a bit?

Here’s the formal definition of sacrifice:

sac·ri·fice
 noun \ˈsa-krə-ˌfīs, also -fəs or –ˌfīz\

the act of giving up something that you want to keep especially in order to get or do something else or to help someone

The last part of the definition is where I would like to focus.  Sacrifice opens the door for another opportunity or better yet, to help someone else.  So, instead of focusing on the deprivation, let’s focus on the abundance!  Instead of focusing on the “no”, let’s focus on the “yes”!

From a yogic perspective, the yama of aparigraha, or taking only what is necessary, can be very helpful when it comes to sacrifice.  Ask yourself if you really need what it is you are going to go without or stop doing.  You might find that you don’t really need it at all.  In fact, what you will gain from the sacrifice might actually serve your better in the long run.  (That’s usually what makes the initial sacrifice of value.)

When you make food sacrifices – cutting out fats, sugars, and salts or taking the time to make whole food for your family, you are saying “yes” to healthier, stronger bodies.  When you make financial sacrifices – sticking to a budget or choosing not to make a purchase, you are saying “yes” to living within your means.  When you make career sacrifices – letting a promotion go or working less, you are saying “yes” to your family and personal life.  The view is so much better when we focus on the “yes”!

Sacrifice can be hard, it can be a challenge, but if we do it with the right “yes” in mind, it doesn’t have to be filled with great angst or discomfort.  So, the next time you are faced with making a sacrifice, think of it as a gift to yourself or to someone you love.  Think of it as a privilege or an opportunity to open a new door.  This might help put things in a positive perspective.

When was the last time you made a sacrifice that gave you another opportunity or helped someone else?  Are you happy you made the sacrifice?  When was the last time someone made a sacrifice for you?

Enjoy the journey,

Suzanne

Tags: , , , , Permalink