Balance

Yes, that word is really elusive yet everyone values it. But how do you define balance. I reckon, to each his own. I am not an expert on this topic and my process is a work in progress, but I am at the level where I feel as a family, we are alright. My secret, everything is routine. Unplanned activities are very rare. Mcj does a lot too, I wouldn't discount him doing some checking on the weber grill sale for lots of "daddy-cooking time".

Put yourself at the top of your to-do list "If you don't take care of yourself first, you won’t be able to do a good job of taking care of everybody," says Chanler, a mother of two. She likens self-care to the oxygen mask demonstration on aeroplanes. Although it feels counterintuitive, you are instructed to strap your mask on first, before your child's. That means that if, for example, you have a choice between doing the dishes or strolling with your baby, take the walk. Block out an hour in your diary each week for yourself and arrange your own play dates with friends at least once a month, too. "Parenting can be isolating, but other mums can give you help with issues you're facing and make you realise you're not alone. Friends who don’t have kids can help you connect with a part of yourself that existed before you had a family," Chanler says. Don't be a the clean Queen Full-time working women do over 33 hours of domestic chores weekly, while their male counterparts do about 16, according to a study published in Women Don’t Ask (Bantam) by Linda Babcock, Professor of Economics at Carnegie Mellon University in the US. To end the dreaded second shift, let some of the housework slide or ask your spouse and your kids for help. Doing chores actually helps build a child’s sense of competence. And if your standards are exacting, lower them.

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