From the Ballroom to Mom and back again.
Like any parent, I have spent the last 22 years, trying to figure out how to balance work, the house, kids, sports, paying bills, and juggling one hundred other million little things. The only thing that I have figured out and I am 100% certain. This is hard work and it is not for the faint of heart.
I love being a Mom. My kiddos are the highlight of my day, from their goofiness to the bad jokes I really shouldn’t be laughing at. But it wasn’t always easy, especially when my partner travels for work.
So, I am stressing over if they got their homework done, did they eat, why does the house look like a tornado just ran through it, and why is the dog wet? Granted, this is all at 10:00 pm at night. By midnight, I have laundry going and finishing up the dishes, just in time for me to eat, and watch a few minutes of my favorite tv show, only to drift off to sleep and the alarm goes off at 6:30am.
See, Not easy.
After the morning rush to make sure kiddos are off to school, then it is time for me to hit the studio for day-to-day owner responsibilities and try to sneak in a bit of dance practice before the rush of after-school flurries begins. Some days, we were fighting through homework wars, dinner upsets, and schedule changes.
Running from the studio to home between dance lessons..ya know, mom and dance teacher life.
There were days that I was hustling from the studio to games, back to the studio to teach lessons. It was during those days, I learned how important planning for your day truly is! Here are a few ideas that may help you too, busy mama.
Make a dinner plan. I know that this is the most simplistic planning idea, but if you don’t have a dinner plan, all bets are off, especially when you have an athlete in the house. They will eat everything.
Batch your errands or housework. This means doing similar activities together.. for example.. while the laundry cycle is going, I will find my child’s misplaced lucky sock, the one that is worn in every game.
Waiting in the pickup line is a great place for a little downtime. I listen to a favorite song or take time to read. I do not use this time to worry about all the other million things or problems I need to deal with. This is my time to reenergize. If you try this, remember you are in the pickup line, so be aware of the line moving.
There will be days when things just don’t go gracefully, and your “me” time in the pickup line, might turn into a metal music rage session. That is ok and it is normal. Normal, I tell you. Being a mom is hard, and we all have been there, even your own mom.
Still, at the end of the day, the laughter and joy that fills my house is worth all the crazy in the end. (Even when I have to sneak naps on the ballroom dance floor.)