Kicking the Chaos

           As a wife and mother of 5 young children aged 5, 4, 2, and 2 month old twins, I often find myself thinking, “there has to be a way to get everything organized and under control”.  Between nursing my twin boys, dropping off/picking up kids at two different schools, homework help, field trips, keeping up with an active two year old, doctor/dental appointments, epic piles of laundry, cleaning, playdates, grocery shopping (the list goes on and on and on!), keeping everybody happy and healthy often seems daunting.  Needless to say, nearly doubling the number of children that I had by having twins has required some major adjustments. 

           I am still working on getting things all the way under control, but here are some steps that I continue to take to keep it all running as smoothly as possible:

Evaluation:  What is most important today?  What must get done today?  What will keep my family and myself happy on this day?  When my children are grown up ISA, they will remember the time I spent with them: arts and crafts projects, building pillow forts, running around in the backyard, planting flowers with them, cooking with them…Less important will be memories of me always staying on top of the laundry!

Set a Realistic Amount of Goals for the Day:  How much can I really expect to do today?  I mean without completely stressing myself out and burning out?  Here is where the evaluation comes in to play.  Some things seem important, and some things are important. 

Write, Write, Write!: I used to be able to remember appointments, classes, playdates, events, etc without recording any of it on paper.  Now I can’t, so I write, write, write it all down.  I choose to challenge myself in other areas instead.  Hmmm, I think I’ll try sewing a skirt today, ISA!

Let Go!:  This one is often a difficult one for me.  Letting go! Realizing that as mothers, we cannot be perfect.  Really!  It is so freeing.  My true friends do not care if they come over and find kiddie shoes & coats strewn about near the front door.  Or, if they find peanut butter and jelly hand prints that my two year old has left lining the walls of my stairwell.  They just don’t.  Period.

Ask for Help!:  Getting things under control often involves asking others for help.  Not trying to take the twins and my two year old to a dental appointment.  Dropping the kids off on some days while I pick my two older girls up from school.  Help with the big things.  Help with the little things.

Plan Ahead:  Spontaneity is mostly a thing of the past.  My new life requires me to plan ahead.  And that is the simple truth!

Stay Active:  Walking, Running, Zumba class, Step Class, Hiking.  It doesn’t really matter, I just keep it moving!  It promotes stress relief, plus I’m working on getting back pre-five kids-in-6-years body!

Staying Centered Through Prayer and Supplication:  This one is self-explanatory.  It is the most important step that links all of the latter steps together.  Praying and asking God to help me make it through the day.  For the strength to get through the day.  For my children to behave.  For the insight to be able to instill the proper values in the right ways.  For my homemade pizza to turn out great.  Anything and Everything.