De-Stressing in 2011

With the hope of reducing stress in my life, I have decided to “pick my battles” more discerningly. One of the things I’ve been battling Caylie over this year is what clothes she wears and how her hair is done on school days. I long ago dropped this battle on days we’re not doing much, but I still like her to be dressed in a weather-appropriate and somewhat attractive outfit for school. And I like her hair to be neat and off her face, if not done up in doo-dads that match the attractive outfit. Often she is happy with my choices, but this can sometimes turn into a needless fight, and why do that to ourselves? Lots of other kids in her preschool class come to school in mismatched clothes obviously chosen and donned by four-year-olds (sometimes even inside out). Lots of little people in the class have hastily tied-up hair or bed-head. So why to I have to be so picky? I don’t. I will remind myself that the important thing is that she’s clean and fed when she arrives at school and if she’s having a spirited day where she wants to choose her attire, then so be it.

This would hopefully cut down on some unnecessary tension in the house if I wasn’t planning to add some battles into the mix. There are a couple of things I’d like to start insisting on around here.

Privacy in the bathroom. This may seem ridiculous to some (especially those without kids), but I have decided that the time has come to demand a few minutes alone while I’m on the toilet.

Keeping clothes off the floor and put away. The kids are in the habit of flinging down their clothes and jammies wherever they happen to be whenever they remove them. This makes for a very untidy life, and I think the time has now come when they are capable of discerning which things are laundry-worthy and folding the rest. There will still be toys strewn about the house, but one thing at a time.