With daughters 3 ½ and 1 ½ it can turn to pandemonium VERY quickly in our house. My husband and I will lock eyes and feel the overwhelming sensation of anxiety creep up as the girls act like, well… little, energetic kids.

We have one child who is REALLY busy. She seems to have an endless supply of energy, words, emotion, and hugs. Sometimes I watch her and feel like I can actually see the energy sizzling off of her little head as she bounces because it is hard to keep still.

We often wonder if we are supposed to be constantly entertaining them… in suburbia land, it sure feels that way. We are frequently searching for that life balance of what is best for our children and things we need to do around the house. I fantasize that it might be different if we lived on more land and I could just say…  go run and play. Instead, we have cars flying by our busy street, and well, it’s not 1988 anymore, so kids don’t go outside to play really without their parents outside watching like hawks.

Weekends are often built up of housework, attempts to relax, and entertaining our tiny humans. I don’t know about other mamas, but this WEARS me out. I was independent as a kid, but I LOVED playing with others. I was not very good at independent play. My oldest is not either, she is a social butterfly and wants to play with others. You’d think I would understand.

Why do we feel the need to schedule so much for our kids? When they are little it is play dates, park outings, lunch outings, trips to the museum, then it turns to MDO programs, pre-school, sports, dance, gymnastics, swim, hoping to complete the “58 things to do before the end of the year” list. Is it okay to just not plan all these things? Is it necessary for our kids to be over planned and overscheduled? Will this help their development? Will this help them become better adults in our society? Or are we missing it? Are we keeping our kids from enjoying the little things and learning how sometimes you won’t be entertained…sometimes you have to use your imagination…sometimes you have to learn how to busy yourself? That your parents are not put on this planet to be the CEO of your entertainment schedule.

This stage of life is hard in EVERY single facet; from finances to emotions, to cleanliness, to time, to marriage, to work… all of it… hard, hard, hard. I know that one day it’ll get easier, but right now, I am sitting here and it is Friday, which means that I have a weekend ahead of me with two little people and my husband home. Our idea is to binge watch the Olympics, but will our tiny humans cuddle nicely on the couch and participate in that grandiose idea? Likely not.

So what do you do mamas? How do you manage the balance in your little’s life? This busy often overwhelmed mama needs to know!

 

Lauren Wiatrek
Lauren Wiatrek is a native Austinite that after moving to New York and Colorado, decided her heart was in the center of Texas. Her husband, Evan helped build their family of daughters in a home they love. After battling stage 3 breast cancer in 2017 Lauren has become a strong voice for wellness, health advocacy, and her faith. Lauren loves to travel every chance she can get. Lauren enjoys extra hot coffee on the porch, her F45 workouts, Young Living lifestyle, being all things as a #girlmom and helping empower women. Lauren started her journey with cancer on her blog www.bestillandsmile.com you can also follow her on her Instagram: @lauren.wiatrek for motherhood tips and her wellness journey after cancer.

1 COMMENT

  1. I have a 2 1/2 year old who is just now starting to enjoy independent play. I still make a point to sit and play with her throughout the day or go do something fun together.

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