· My parents always said, “First we work and then we play, that is how we do our day.” I try and instill that concept in my kids too. I am currently trying to teach them we can’t get out another mess until we’ve cleaned up this one. However, I have needed to remind myself that part of my job is to play. I get so focused on the laundry, the dishes, the cleaning, the bills, the pick-up, etc that I forget one of the most important aspects of my job – my kids (I say one of because I think being a good spouse is number one in being a good mom). I am trying to let go of some of my expectations for the house so that I can really play with my kids. One of my mentors, the Pritchards, asked me, “What do you want people to remember about you? She had an immaculate house or she took such good care of her family?” Admittedly, I’d like both, but I’m really trying to shift my priorities. It’s crazy that since I’ve grown older I’ve forgotten how to play. I sit down to play dolls with my daughter, and I get bored fairly easy and feel at a loss. I played with my Barbie things forever when I was younger, but I’ve definitely lost the ability. I’m trying to get it back so that I can remember that sometimes “first we play and then we work.”
