By Becky Brownstein
Becky Brownstein is a wife, mother of five, cleaning lady, chef, program/trip organizer, taxi driver, blogger and all around great gal that lives in Kingston, Pennsylvania. Visit her website at http://spitsgiggles.blogspot.com where she shares all her experiences as a mother with the motto, "When all else fails, laugh!"
"I sing, out loud and right smack in the middle of the kitchen."
10 Things I do To Survive My Hectic Life
10. Never ever think about the other mothers who have more kids than I do and seem to have it more together. They most likely don't and if I was in their shoes I would still think the same way. Or at least that's what I tell myself.
9. Think of my husband as a part of me. I wouldn't want to strangle myself now, would I? Thinking of him as a separate piece of myself makes me see him as a human being who has feelings and thinks things through just like I would. He is not malicious and would never intentionally hurt me. When he doesn't do everything I say, it's not because he doesn't love me, It's because I'm being bossy and forgetting I shouldn't boss myself around.
8. I try not to lose it in the morning. Starting off the day yelling at the kids effects me more than it does them. Kids are resilient and don't go to school with chips on their shoulders and they don't dwell on the morning. They have more important things to do like, play dress up. But me? I walk around worrying about how I ruined their day.
7. Don't beat myself up if I'm too tired to make a 3 piece dinner. My kids add ketchup to grilled chicken teriyaki. They prefer Mac n' Cheese to just about anything else. Pizza in the oven for 8 minutes makes them happier than a meal that I would have been on my feet preparing for over an hour. But honestly, pizza has vegetables, dairy and wheat. Balanced meal!
6. Would rather let the kids play in the hose than pack them all up, make them all go to the bathroom, pack snacks, sunscreen and any other emergency item on a Sunday. They are usually happier in the driveway playing for free than me spending money I don't have on trips they most likely will complain the whole time by.
5. Telling my kids straight up that I made a mistake not only humanizes me but shows them that even big people can mess up.
4. I apologize for losing my temper, shouting or forgetting to do something they asked me to do. It keeps me from dwelling on my mistakes and teaches the kids too suck it up and apologize as well when they have messed up.
3. I sing, out loud and right smack in the middle of the kitchen. I then do a jig. It makes it worth it when volunteers start asking to join. It also makes me feel good to have an audience who doesn't dwell on my wobbly bits or what a terrible dancer I am.
2. I listen to my kids interact with each other. Listening to them helps me realize that they are people. They have their own brains and are growing up to make their own decisions. It makes me feel happy and proud that they are the type of people I would want to hang out with.
1.I watch old movies of when I had 4 kids under 4 and think how hard it was and how much less I have to do now. Looking back gives me strength to go forward. It was always harder a while ago. I don't look ahead and say whats going to be harder than what I have now. If I have the kids I have, the husband I have, the life we have together, then bring it on. It's worth it.
9. Think of my husband as a part of me. I wouldn't want to strangle myself now, would I? Thinking of him as a separate piece of myself makes me see him as a human being who has feelings and thinks things through just like I would. He is not malicious and would never intentionally hurt me. When he doesn't do everything I say, it's not because he doesn't love me, It's because I'm being bossy and forgetting I shouldn't boss myself around.
8. I try not to lose it in the morning. Starting off the day yelling at the kids effects me more than it does them. Kids are resilient and don't go to school with chips on their shoulders and they don't dwell on the morning. They have more important things to do like, play dress up. But me? I walk around worrying about how I ruined their day.
7. Don't beat myself up if I'm too tired to make a 3 piece dinner. My kids add ketchup to grilled chicken teriyaki. They prefer Mac n' Cheese to just about anything else. Pizza in the oven for 8 minutes makes them happier than a meal that I would have been on my feet preparing for over an hour. But honestly, pizza has vegetables, dairy and wheat. Balanced meal!
6. Would rather let the kids play in the hose than pack them all up, make them all go to the bathroom, pack snacks, sunscreen and any other emergency item on a Sunday. They are usually happier in the driveway playing for free than me spending money I don't have on trips they most likely will complain the whole time by.
5. Telling my kids straight up that I made a mistake not only humanizes me but shows them that even big people can mess up.
4. I apologize for losing my temper, shouting or forgetting to do something they asked me to do. It keeps me from dwelling on my mistakes and teaches the kids too suck it up and apologize as well when they have messed up.
3. I sing, out loud and right smack in the middle of the kitchen. I then do a jig. It makes it worth it when volunteers start asking to join. It also makes me feel good to have an audience who doesn't dwell on my wobbly bits or what a terrible dancer I am.
2. I listen to my kids interact with each other. Listening to them helps me realize that they are people. They have their own brains and are growing up to make their own decisions. It makes me feel happy and proud that they are the type of people I would want to hang out with.
1.I watch old movies of when I had 4 kids under 4 and think how hard it was and how much less I have to do now. Looking back gives me strength to go forward. It was always harder a while ago. I don't look ahead and say whats going to be harder than what I have now. If I have the kids I have, the husband I have, the life we have together, then bring it on. It's worth it.
I love this list! Thank you for posting it - I can definitely see myself using some of these tips.
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