This is an honest and well written post by my very good friend Lisa. I tweet with her all the time and she is always there with some encouragement, and understanding. Enjoy her post – I could have written the intro myself! The tips she shares I am putting into use and I know you will find it useful too!
The deadline is tomorrow. My house is a disaster area. I feel like a complete homeschooling failure. I cannot remember the last “good” meal I fixed for my family and I am pretty certain today’s 5 second shower was long overdue. Even with my “mommy helper” here I am overwhelmed and sitting at my computer Google-ing anything to avoid acknowledging the to do list sitting next to me.
I am not the first mom to shut down. I am not the first to wish for a reprieve from the whining and cleaning and wiping and cooking. I will stop and say a prayer while I pour my next cup of coffee and be reminded that I am never alone. I will take a deep breath and remember that I do not have to be strong enough to raise my four children. God is strong. I do not have to be smart enough to educate my children. God is smart. I do not have to be wise enough to manage my house. God is wise.
I do have to get off my backside. I have to remember to pray. I have to make a start somewhere. I have to get focused, preferably on things that are important. I have walked these steps before and I can walk them again.
I have two tricks that I use to cut my mountain of responsibility into more manageable bites.
First, I only aim to do three things. Brush teeth, feed kids, make my bed. Done. Then I put them on a “Ta Done” list (think – “Ta Da”). Then, if I’m up for it, I’ll try for three more. If they get done, great. If not, great.
Second, I clean house in bursts of 15 minutes, starting with whatever is closest to me. Sometimes I start from the couch where I’m sitting, pick up some laundry, end up starting a load, which reminds me of the dishwasher, where I end up in the kitchen wiping off a counter top. Any progress is good progress and in fifteen minutes I’m done for a bit and ready to listen to the whining again.
Between “sets of 3” I will pray for strength, patience, wisdom. I keep note cards around my house and in my purse with verses on them or short prayers. Sometimes I will say them out loud so my children hear them.
By the end of the day I will have been distracted by a million questions and whiny moments but I can look at my paper and see that the day has not been a total waste of time. I took time to speak with God. I took time to share His word with my children. Everything else was just frosting.
About the Author: Lisa Baldwin is wife and mom to four little chaos makers. She spends most of her days homeschooling and thinking up fun new things to put in her Artfire Studio “Chaotic Craftiness”. She blogs at Chaos Appreciation and is very active on Twitter as @TaderDoodles.
I also do the 15 minute cleaning bursts, and they are AWESOME! Anyone who hasn’t tried this should definitely set a timer and do it.. get your older kids in on the action too. They CAN clean their rooms in 15 minutes.
MY 15 minute cleaning bursts usually last a lot longer.
I need to put note cards up with verses, though. I know after working all day, my kids don’t get the best of me.
I find myself stopping and praying a lot too. I also make the kids help me clean. They are never too young to pick up their mess and put it away. Less stress for me more responsibility for them and they do it w/ a cheerful heart. They know and quote that God loves it when we help (and share) with each other.