 A
Note From Mary
 Dear
Fellow Mom,
Do
you ever get behind and feel like you just can’t get caught
up? That’s been the case with me lately and I don’t like
the feeling. I also don’t like what happens as a result.
Since I don’t have time to make a grocery list, I shop
on the fly, which leads to poor choices, forgetting necessary
items, and spending more than I need to. I also haven’t
had time to figure out which of my children’s clothes
fit from last spring and what they need for this year,
so I’m buying things as I see them, rather than working
from a plan. Last week, I got home and discovered I have
too many skorts for my daughter, but not enough shirts.
So, it’s back to the return desk for me, which is a waste
of valuable time.
I’m
learning that hurriedness in my life as a mom leads to
feeling
overwhelmed, which leads to helter-skelter planning (or
no planning at all!). In turn, my lack of planning leads
to poor purchases, more meals out than necessary, and
a feeling of always being behind. And
since I’m the barometer of the family, when I’m stressed,
the rest of the family gets stressed too, even if they
don’t understand why. (By the way, a barometer is an instrument
for measuring atmospheric pressure, used in weather forecasting.
I think of myself as a “bar mom eter,”
an instrument used for measuring the health of my family.)
I
need to plan ahead, anticipate scheduling problems, be
well-organized and ready for each week well before
the week begins , rather than waiting until after
it starts to look ahead. Truthfully, sometimes I get tired
of being the family manager and I start to let my job
performance slide. That’s what’s happened this month.
But no more. Once again I’ve noticed that “if momma ain’t
organized, no one is organized.” Sigh.
So
it’s back to the calendar for me. I’ll start this morning
by making a grocery list, plotting out transportation
needs for the week, and taking inventory of my children’s
spring and summer clothes. That way, I’ll know where we’re
at as a family and more easily be able to get us where
we need to be by the end of this week. I realize that
20 minutes of planning now is an investment that will
pay dividends as the week goes on.
I
encourage you to give yourself the gift of planning time
as well. Simply ask yourself “What’s not running
smoothly in our family life right now?” Then, give yourself
20 uninterrupted minutes to brainstorm what you need to
do in order to get back on track. You’ll be glad you did…and
so will your family!
Strengthening families by encouraging moms,
Mary Byers
Give
Yourself a Gift This Mother's Day!
The
Mother Load: How to Meet Your Own Needs While Caring for
Your Family is
the gift every mother should consider giving to herself
for Mother’s Day. Read what others are saying about the
book:
“Moms
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Mother Load . With both inspiration and
practical ideas, I highly recommend it to moms of all
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Mom You’re Meant to Be, The School Savvy Kids series,
When Mothers Pray, and others
“This
book has the rare combination of true wisdom, refreshing
substance, and practical ideas that are do–able! An encouraging
read for mothers of young children!”
— Susan Alexander Yates, author of And Then
I Had Kids and And Then I Had Teenagers
“Looking
for something to browse thru one wintry day and found
my wife's copy of The Mother Load …. Well-written;
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--
Kirk Farah, review posted
on Amazon.com
Click here to read an excerpt
Click here to order your personal copy of The
Mother Load: How to Meet Your Own Needs While
Caring for Your Family
Sanity
Saver:
Realize
that self-care is not selfish; it is an investment in
your family that will pay dividends for years to come.
Wise moms schedule time for themselves as they are caring
for their children. You can’t continue to meet other people’s
needs if your own are not being met. (Quick, get your
calendar and schedule a date with yourself!)
|
April 11,
2005
Lightening the Load
eZine published by Mary Byers, Author of
The Mother Load
Table of Contents
 |
A Note From Mary |
 |
A
Mother's Day Gift: The Mother Load |
 |
Sanity Saver |
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