A Balancing Act

As a mom, I feel like I am constantly trying to find a balance in the way that I parent my children.  This is probably something that will never change and that is okay.  It is a tug-of-war, a push-and-shove, mental acrobatics, and intense negotiations with my girls on a daily basis.  First off, I am a mom of a relatively big family and this, in and of it self, requires me to juggle many activities and responsibilities on a daily basis.  I like to refere to it as managed chaos.  As anyone who knows me can tell you, I am not a Type-A housekeeper or scheduler.  So, the struggle that I have in wanting to be a good mom is that I want my children to grow up to be responsible individuals that understand the value of hardwork, while at the same time also desiring for them to have a carefree and enjoyable childhood.  I waver between wanting to tightly schedule their every minute with piano lessons and practice (that I give them), chores, preparation for the next school day, and other valuable enrichment activities and just wanting them to be able to come home from school and run out the door to play and use their imaginations.  Because I am not very type-A, the highly regimented charts and schedules usually do not last terribly long; I wish I were more this way sometimes and will strive to work on being more consistent where it counts.  At the same time, I think that the spur-of-the-moment, spontaneous activities that we jump in to based on the girls' interest (like full-scale baking projects, arts and crafts, and outdoor exploration) are moments not to be missed.  So many of those times hold good memories and have been learning experiences (teachable moments) throughout the years.  Every mom is different and has different strengths and weaknesses; these are mine, for better or worse.  As Mother's Day approaches, I hope and pray that I will become a better and better mother over the years, learning from my mistakes and gaining wisdom both from the successes and the failures (only with God's help is this even possible).  So, day by day, I continue to walk the tightrope of motherhood, thankful to have been given this amazing opportunity and privilege in my life!