Staying Sane

Love it or hate it, Mother's Day is right around the bend. And because not every Mother's Day is filled with appreciation, handmade cards, and a gourmet breakfast in bed followed by a day of rest and model behavior, we went hunting for some wisdom from Circle of Moms members to help us through the day.

We hope your Mom's Day is perfect . . . but if not, these quotes are for you!

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No one is perfect. Not your kids, not you, and certainly not me. I'm a parenting expert, educator, and coach, and I am not a perfect parent. There is no such thing as a perfect parent. We all make mistakes and have lessons to learn from our experiences in life. Oh, the messes I've made from time to time!

Each misstep in life has a purpose and causes further fallout for us to deal with. Each misstep is a teacher of sorts. No one likes that fact, and every parent forgets it at times. Whether it's due to stress, the fast pace of life, or our own childhood wounds, there are times when we forget that our child is just a child, and has only made a mistake, not committed a crime.

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One busy night after the kids had gone to bed, I settled into my well-worn spot on the sofa for some mind-numbing television.

"Can you believe this guy?" I asked my husband, seated in his favorite recliner beside me. When no answer was forthcoming, I glanced over to witness an all-too-familiar scene: Deeply embedded in the recliner's cushions lay my husband of 19 years, sound asleep.

Normally, I would giggle, turn the lights out around him and go to bed — a sort of revenge for being "abandoned" for the umpteenth time. He'd eventually wake up alone in the dark and trudge upstairs to find me tee-heeing under the covers of our bed.

But on this particular night, I gawked at my dreaming husband as if I was seeing this for the first time. Is this the man I married?

Panic gripped my soul as I realized: We've changed. We're tired, boring, predictable. We're doomed. 

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Before I ever became a mom, I was a teacher. While I don't claim to be a perfect teacher or a perfect mommy, I do believe that I relate to children quite well, thanks in part to my time spent "in the trenches." Those six precious years of forging relationships, offering guidance, and teaching science to 150 students each year taught me several things that have also served me well as a parent. Keep reading for the eight most important.

"Wow! You have four kids?! How did that happen?"

FYI — don't ever say that to anyone. It's kinda rude. It implies that having four kids is somehow weird, or that my having four kids is somehow weird. Both of which may hold some truth, but it's still rude. But, since I have never shared just how these minions invaded my life, I will share it now. (Not the actual how — I mean, ew. But, you know, the how.)

I met my husband in 1997. We knew almost immediately that we were meant to be together, and in less than seven months we were engaged, and six months after that, we tied the knot. We had grand plans — be married for five years, have a child. When that child was 3 years old and potty trained we'd have another. When child number two was potty trained, we'd decide whether or not we wanted a third. We knew that the kids were in our future, we planned on them. Very specific, detailed plans. We planned, God laughed.

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Even if you're starting to go stir-crazy being at home 24/7, returning to work after maternity leave can be an extremely emotional and difficult transition. To help you navigate some of the challenges, we've rounded up the best advice from working moms on how to make your transition as smooth as possible.

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