A Secret to Success as a Working Mom: Turn Burn Out Into Bliss and Embrace Joy

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Last weekend my youngest was committed to going to the "Water Steps" a man-made water fall in Pittsburgh by the rivers. (Fun Fact: Three rivers converge in Pittsburgh--The Ohio River, The Monongahela River, and the Allegheny River.)  He kept asking. I knew he was serious when he said, "If you won't take me, I'll ask  daddy!" Given that it was highly unlikely that would happen on an unscheduled day, I relented. So, we went. It wasn’t planned in the way most things in my life are. No calendar block. No checklist. No “productive” purpose attached. And, so in some respects it was uncomfortable. And yet, it seemed necessary. It was the idea of my 8-year-old—offered with the kind of urgency only children possess when something is profoundly important to them.
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Family Chaos Can Be Cured with Ice Cream

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" You can't buy happiness, but you can buy ice cream and that is pretty much the same thing." — Unknown.
There are many moments throughout the day where my kids are fussing, cussing, and running around. The cussing doesn't involve actual curse words because they're little, but includes things like, "STOP IT!!!" "You're being mean!" and the classic, "WAH!!!" 

Those moments are numerous and fill my home with the cacophony of their voices and intense feelings. The bickering can be really frustrating. Sometimes, one will try to get me to choose sides because he or she is confident in his/her "rightness". I can't choose sides of course. Doing so would be like asking me to choose between having a right or left arm--each is equally loved and essential.

Then, when all hope for peace seems gone, they unite around a simple pleasure--a game, a funny moment, or a sweet treat. I don't know about your house, but here at mi casa, ice cream can solve most sources of unhappiness. 
Injured? "Here have some ice cream." Someone hurt your feelings? "Ice cream." Sad for no explicable reason? "How about some ice cream?"

I know that this is like my third ice cream related post of the summer. However, the stress of COVID19 has me seeking out ways to improve our moods and simple pleasures like ice cream, naps, and sunsets have become my favorites.  (In all candor, I also enjoy "adult beverages"!)

How are you managing during these very stressful times? 

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