Motherhood Will Make A Mockery Out Of Control Freaks

Many of us during our pre-parenthood life, felt that we had it all and could do even more... and for many of us, those pre-parenthood days seem to be so long past. Pre-parenthood, we ran fortune 500 companies, maintained close friendships with our girlfriends and guyfriends (without an extra effort), kept a clean house (it just never seemed to get dirty), cooked 5 course meals from our favorite cookbooks (for no special reason, just enjoyed experimenting), was the voice of reason, ate at 5 star restaurants, took care of our men and actually had time to allow them to take care of us.

During my mental preparation on becoming a new mom, I was positive that I had everything under control and that everything would run like clock work. I was certain that by applying my organizational skills to my life post-parenthood, I would be good to go. After all, I was able to maintain a 4.0 with 18units in my graduate program.  Plan A, B and C, were all outlined and ready for implementation in case of an emergency. Little did I know that parenthood makes a mockery out of control freaks like me and targets us as an example for those who are skeptical.

Motherhood has taught me that if I want to maintain my, much valued sanity and keep a 'balanced life', my outstanding structure and organizational skills would have to sometimes take a back seat to "disorder." Yea, I know its such an ugly word.... but, I have come to understand that my 5-year old is not always into structure and rigidness, its just not his thing. I'm not advocating chaos and complete madness, just the willingness to adapt to change. Motherhood forces us to be flexible and allow needed revisions to our schedule once in a while. An important prerequisite to successfully enforcing this rule is the inclusion of "whatever time" at any given time. "Whatever time" is just that... Being a mom is a double time job and that "whatever time" may mean having to cut an important business call short to help your 5-year old clean poop from his butt or postponing an assignment because you know how obsessed your child is with Monster Jam Monster Trucks and they are finally in town. The introduction to motherhood can sometimes be scary and overwhelming, but, for myself and most mothers around the world... we wouldn't have it any other way.

A few suggestions to maintain a balanced life:

• Pray
• Meditate- It will help you develop a clear perspective of whats whats important and how to prioritize your time and schedule.
• Ask for help-. There is a reason for the proverb “It takes a village to raise a child.” The sooner you accept this notion and utilize your circle of trust the better off you will be. 
• Plan a break- Its okay to be a a little selfish at times. If we don't maintain a healthy mental wellness, our children will be affected also. Apply for a monthly spa membership, go to the movies, join a gym, take yoga, take a pole dancing class (really helps with the biceps)... Whatever makes you happy.

Below I have included a few of my favorite books: