Rule #4

I completely stink at getting up early.  Partly this is because I am a closet night owl.  I like the time after dark when I can sit and ruminate over the things that have occurred for the day and try to make some of them make sense.  I like my time alone when the kids are sleeping.

But all of the books on being a good Mother, and being an organized Mom say things like, get up before everyone else.  Well... I've tried.  I'm not very good at it.  It requires me to go to bed early, and then it requires me to tip-toe around our tiny house trying to accomplish tasks (while I'm not very awake) without waking the kids.  I understand their point.  Maybe if our house were larger and I didn't feel so much pressure to be completely silent, it would work better.  As it is, the kid's room is right off the kitchen, which means I can't empty the dishwasher, or start breakfast, or do a load of laundry without making noise.

My Mother has suggested that I lay out clothes and things the night before, so it's all ready to go.  You know what?  This generally works better for me.  I can set out breakfast bowls and spoons and clothes and cereal without waking the kids up.  In the morning I don't feel like I'm rushed and I don't have a long list of junk to do.  I can lay in bed for a few minutes and enjoy the feeling.

Rule #4: Listen to everyone's advice and then do what works best for you.

Every family, house, parent, and child is different and because they are all different and they all interact in different ways, no one can claim to have the perfect answer for everyone.  Someone surely has the answer for you, but even if 90% of the "experts"/busybodies/little old ladies/friends all say the same thing, it still won't work all that well for 10% of us.

It's okay to ignore someone's advice.  There will be times when you are given unsolicited, pushy advice. Listen politely and ignore it.  If you have to push back... well that's another post.  Suffice it to say that some things will work for you, and some things won't.  It's okay to go your own way.