Prior to becoming a parent, I never could have imagined what parenting actually is. It’s not about perfectly printed birthday party invitations (which I completely failed at one year with a misspelled word!) or beautiful professional family pictures on the wall or posting your perfect life on social media. These are parts that I genuinely was looking forward to, but so far from reality. Let’s be honest… Parenting is anything but perfect!
I have recently found myself in the ”How much is too much?” stage of life. My life is jam packed. I don’t know any parent who isn’t hanging on by a thread at one point or another, but I’ve made it a daily way of life.
My job provides us the financial stability that we need to live. As a single parent, I’m fortunate to have a quality job, that I love, that provides for all that we need and much of what we want. That said, I can’t really “find more balance” in this area of life.

My kids both have interests and needs to that I feel are important to be met. Not all parents feel the same. To each his own. We are involved in scouts, multiple sports for two kids, have monthly doctors and therapy appointments, and don’t get me started with the craziness that is “holiday-birthday season.” December through March is just nuts!

This is all manageable, at least I keep telling myself that. Until something changes. Just when I feel like I have it all under control, something new gets added in. Then I feel like a wild woman running around town in a constant frenzy.
It all makes the simple daily tasks like, oh… grocery shopping, cooking meals, eating together, homework (oh, I hate homework), reading before bed, showers, etc. all just toooo much. I feel like eating a meal together is an important part of our daily life, but some days, it’s just the thing that puts me over the edge. I’m thinking of the million tasks I need to get accomplished instead of really being present for my kids.
So my question is… Is all of this too much? The answer is yes!!! But what can be done? What gets taken off the family plate? And then, who wins and who loses?

Do I take away a sport from my son who desperately needs the positive, structured social interaction and extra time exercising to aide his ADHD needs? Does my daughter, who has always played second fiddle, lose out on her activities? Do we cut out the necessary medical interventions for both kids? Definitely not! So what are the options?
The sad truth is that there are no perfect solutions. We run around and make the magic happen! It’s what we do as parents. We put our kids needs before our own. I will continue to run in the hamster wheel, continue to live life exhausted, continue to work around the clock as a parent and educator, so that my kids needs are met! Notice I didn’t say, so my kids will be happy! I do these things, sign them up for sports and clubs and therapies, not for fun, but to fill needs that must be met.

Is life this crazy for everyone? Maybe. I do think some people are better at saying “no!” Some people find a better balance for their own lives and their kids. Some people have more support than others to help with the juggle of it all. I’m the type of person who thrives in the chaos, but am I doing what is right for my children? Is it all just too much?