Controlled Chaos

There's somethings I am ..structured - check, organized - semi check, disciplined - check. Yet, there are things, you might think complimentary things, that I am not and can not aspire to be. I've never mastered the art of routine and schedule. 10 years of living in America and 7 years of raising children in the land of the scheduled kids have given me enough real life examples of smack-dab routines that, if deviated from, have the real potential to drive Moms crazy. As appealing as the idea of a set routine in the morning and a sharp bedtime at night sounds, I cannot stick to it. i start out strong and then by Wed, I start to flag in my enforcement. I want to take the kids out for ice cream when its sunny out or we want to go to the park. Then we come back and I want to just hang out for some time..and on and on and before we know it, bedtime has come and gone and we're just having too much fun. The fun escalates into panic when I glance at the clock and then screaming and threatening ensues.
When the kids are dragging next morning, I blame the unstructured night before. I scream some more and general chaos reigns until we all exit to our destinations. Of course, every day I struggle with the right decision - am I spending enought time with my children? Am I harming them for life by working (I think I have an answer to that one..its an emphatec NO), will my kids languish at the bottom of thier class since they do not get enough sleep. I've given up on getting it right, for now, I am letting the controlled chaos rule. I'll figure it out by the time the grandkids come along.

In light of the above mental see-saw, it was nice to see this New York Times article about Michelle Obama and her confession to the same dilemma - she keeps it real and that's what is so refreshing about her. I feel like she gets it.

On the Home Front, a Twist of Candor , By RACHEL L. SWARNS
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/28/fashion/28frank.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

In a continuation of the crazy mommy vein, I also enjoyed this article also in the NY Times about the camera crazy lifestyle of today. The other day, Arjun was amazed at a camera where " you couldn't see the picture when it was taken."
Wife/Mother/Worker/Spy: Have Camera, Will Shoot, and Shoot, By MICHELLE SLATALLA
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/28/fashion/28spy.html?partner=rss&emc=rss