I admit it, sometimes I let my kids stay up late just because it's easier than fighting with them to go to bed. I learned long ago, that one must choose their battles wisely. So, in the morning when I want to pull my hair out because they are knocked out in overtired slumber, I sing the Lion King theme song at the top of my lungs- not only does an early morning scream help ease my frustration, but the kids find it amusing and (finally) roll out of bed.

Managing time is challenging these days. Kids have school, homework, and extracurricular activities. Parents want to enrich our children with plays, activities, and time at the park but still need to work our day jobs and finish our own schoolwork while making time to champion chauffeuring, tutoring, cooking, cleaning, bed time stories, and mastering the impossible art of perfect patience.

When did we all sign up to be Super Heroes? Lest we forget that we can be just who we are and scale back the 150% effort and just be 100% ourselves and our children will still think we wear capes under our parent clothes. Do you think your children will be forever traumatized.

Somewhere along the line, we, as parents started feeling guilty for not being 150% magical 365 days a year and forgot that we are human and we deserve to feel like royalty from time to time, even if the royal treatment is to don your favorite pair of sweats, grab a glass of wine, and head for 3.5 minutes of uninterrupted hammock time.

Let's ease up a bit and learn to flex the rules. Ice Cream can be considered a vegetable on Tuesdays, the kids won't spoil if they skip a bath, and no one will know if your laundry has been in the dryer for 3 days. If your garden looks amazing, it's acceptable for your house to look like a tornado ripped through it.

At the end of the day...or the week...or the year... You will never remember all of the things you had to get done unless they got in the way of doing something fun. So, make the time to do something fun for your kids and something enjoyable for yourself. Remember, no one's last words on Earth were, "I forgot to do the dishes"