Reign in the Holiday Madness

Early this weekend I had quite the calendar surprise: Thanksgiving is next Thursday. Right.

It's that magical and oh-so-stressful Double Diamond Downhill slide from Halloween straight to New Year's Eve and it seems that all personal and professional responsibilities are colliding. You're on the phone with the Benefits department to choose your new health plan for open enrollment and shopping online for forgotten teachers' gifts all the while figuring out who's going to attend the Holiday Program at school that's happening right when your big new client pitch is scheduled. You want to just enjoy the magic but when the kids are handing you Santa Lists while you tell the accountant you can't possibly have year-end projections ready this week, it's hard not to feel a little Grinchy.

To try and keep everything under control I turned to some of the smartest, most organized and thoughtful women I know: the Momentum Resources Team. I asked for one tip from each and they each poured out some amazing advice on schedule sanity, gift-giving and most importantly, how to make the holidays a meaningful time for you and your family.

Stay tuned, great tips coming your way!

Sometimes, It's Just Hard

This has just been one of those weeks. With a big fat Disney hangover from last week's vacation and plunging back into the world of overflowing InBoxes and missed homework assignments and consolidated meeting schedules and broken violins for music class, my whole family is a little off-kilter.

So it's no wonder that yesterday morning wasn't smooth. I had an epic wardrobe battle with a 9 year old who couldn't possibly understand why I wouldn't let him wear Under Armour and track pants to see the symphony at the Kennedy Center on a 4th grade field trip. The other 9 year old, unhappy with his broken violin, picks a fight with his 4 year old brother, and little brother hurls a step stool at him. All before 8am.

On my way to work I get an email from a girlfriend who shares that her iPhone auto-corrected "kids" to "jihad." Not to make light of a serious topic, but after my morning, that sounded just about right. Thank you Steve Jobs from the great beyond!

The point is, it's ok. It's not you, there's nothing wrong with your family, it's just hard sometimes. You love your children, you wouldn't trade your job as Mom for any title in the world, but it's challenging on the best days and damned near impossible on others.

Earlier in the week I performed a little calendar magic and made it to one of my favorite yoga classes. When my teacher asked how I was doing, I replied "no focus." A fellow mom of three, she explained that just managing the logistics for that many other people can be draining and advised some deep breathing through the hard parts.

Today is a new day, I'll pick my battles wisely, hug my kids often and pick up a referee whistle at the sporting goods store on my way home from work, just in case all that deep breathing can't be heard above the fray.