Are you a Super Mom?

If you said No, no worries, I’ve got an inside secret for you…there is no such bloody thing as a Super Mom.

A super mom implies that a mom can keep her shit together via some superhuman power to get it ALL right without a hair out of place.

Those who SEEM to bee Super Moms…they have help, and that’s great.

Super Busy Frazzled Mom

Those moms who you can tell are obviously not super moms, like me…those that are frazzled, tired and tend to leave the house with two toddlers and two different shoes on…like I have, well, we gotta work hard to keep it together and keep our sanity intact.

If you feel you’re at a loss, don’t worry, you’re not alone. There are moms who’ve been in your shoes and moms who are sharing your shoes as I type this.

Luckily there moms across the web who are willing to help you get your act together.

Here are a few posts I’d like to share with you.

Strategies for Leaving the House with Two From MommyhoodNextRight

Great ideas on how to schedule your day and schedule your week from Want What You have. I personally feel you can adapt it to fit your lifestyle whether you’re a WAHM, a SAHM, or a mom who works out of the home.

Planning your meal menu for the week really will keep you from wondering what the heck you’re cooking tonight and will save you money. Check out Simple Mom’s Basic Guide To Menu Planning.

Once A Week Cooking is also a kick ass site that offers great meal planning ideas, kitchen tips and recipes.

And though I’m offering you these online resources, don’t forget your offline resources, such as friends and family. I just finished reading an amazing post from Mommy Niri about her friend Meghan.

And here’s what I want to share with you to help you keep your insanity intact. Think of it as my belated Valentines Day gift to you.

Take Care Of You

There is not one mom in real life who can spend every waking minute taking care of their family, their home and their career and not be frazzled. Or feel like she’s going crazy every now and then. We moms are notorious for putting our own individual needs last. So you’re not alone.

But that needs to stop.

Take some time for you.

Where do you find that time?

This is what I’ve learned.

To say no. I tend to take on too many things at once. My day is filled with things to do, so I’ve learned to make decisions about what I can do and what people can do for themselves with a little guidance from me. For instance, last night, my daughter decided she didn’t want what I made for dinner. She wanted something else. So, I told her how to make it. She’s almost 14.

which leads me to…

To say do it yourself. My teens aren’t babies anymore. They can do their own laundry, they can wash their own dishes, they can straighten each others hair and iron their own clothes. My 3 year old can pack his own toys away. My two year old knows where to put her plate when she’s done eating and how to empty her plate in the trash before doing so.

Schedules are good. But I don’t stress anything down to the minute. Or even the half hour. And what doesn’t get done…well, I certainly know how to reschedule. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

It doesn’t have to be perfect. I’ve got toddlers, my livingroom can only stay clean during the night. I’ve learned to let them make their mess with toys and books and get them to help me pack it away once per day. If you push them to do it too often, they won’t want to do it. Also? You’ll find crayon scribbling on my walls at least for 3 days of a week. I don’t know where they stash these crayons, but they’re pretty sneaky and find corners to write on walls. I use to stress and wash it right afterward, just to have them do it again tomorrow. Now, I clean it twice a week and if visitors stop by, well, guess what? I’ve got toddlers.

To a break twice per day. I use to use their nap time to work or look for work, now I take an hour of that 3 hour block and I work out. It relieves a lot of tension and I feel refreshed when I do sit down to work. When the teens get home from school, I hand over their siblings for a half hour. When hubby gets home from work, I hand them over again for an hour. Like right now as I write this post.

To take a break on the weekends. I leave all the kids with hubby and I go out. Sometimes for an hour sometimes for 4 hours. I get away from them and the housework and the computer. If you can get away to a spa do it. I’m a little self conscious but one of these days, I’m grabbing a Groupon or a Living Social deal and doing it!

Phone a friend. My android is mostly used for checking emails, keeping on top of social media, making doctor appointments,  yaadaa yaadaa yaadaa. But a few times a week I actually use it to call a friend. Just to shoot the shit. Laughing is good for the soul.

  You can do this!

You’re already a take charge mom who has a lot on her plate.  If you’re already doing a thousand things each and every day, certainly you can add taking care of you on that plate.

photocredit: © Felix Mizioznikov – Fotolia.com