Mom Taxi

Nothing much going on this week. Just running kiddos around town and trying to keep my head above water. It's funny, I thought once the girls started school "full time", I would be at the gym getting a cougar body, getting the house organized, and just generally getting my act together. WRONG! DOUBLE WRONG!

Here's what a typical school day looks like for me:

1. Wake up at 6:20 a.m.
2. Get lunches packed, kids ready and out the door by 7:30.
3. Drop off at school at 7:50.
4. Go home, make beds, clean breakfast dishes, etc.
5. Go back to school at 11:00 to 1:00. I volunteer a couple of days a week.
6. Come back home, eat lunch, and get dinner started.
7. At 3:15, go pick Sassypants up and bring her home, get a snack, and work on reading/writing with her.
8. Go back to school at 5:30, and pick up Bookworm from an after-school enrichment program.
9. Come back home.
10. Eat dinner and and while they're finishing homework, clean kitchen.
11. Upstairs to pick out next day's school clothes.
12. Bathe girls, help them brush teeth, stories, and bed.
13. Collapse into a big ol' fat heap.

I keep on thinking...."We haven't even added swim lessons or any other activity to this. What am I going to do?" Unfortunately, we don't have a single family member near us, so I have no help shuttling kids to and fro'. I see families at the girls' school that have grandparents' or nannies that pick the kids up occasionally. I don't feel jealous...I just think....it has to be a little easier.

I've decided that I just have to scale back on things like working at the school. I also told Bookworm that she can only do the after-school program 1 day a week. It's more of a program for parents that work and need that extra time. It's a great program, but is it worth me driving to school 4 times a day? Umm, nope.

Do you moms feel like all you do is drive, drive, drive?
I want my girls to be involved in activities and they really love seeing me work at the school (at least for now), but there comes a point when your quality time with your family is depleted. The older I get, the more I feel my "sensors" come out and let me know when it's time to scale back. I'm finally realizing I can't do it all. None of us can. And it's okay to say "No, I can't do that. My family really needs me right now." I've found that I've never had a person that wants me to volunteer or work argue that point. I'm still working on the part where I need to take time for myself.

How do you juggle the challenges of your children's activities, work, church, etc.? Do you feel 'guilty' or like you've failed when you can't finish your day's "To Do" list?