It is time to go to bed. Homework is not done. It is close to my bed time. I insist that the kids go to bed at a certain time. They resist. They do not want to go to bed. Right now, they are stalling. I will not fall for it. They need to do their homework. They are not focused on it. They are too tired to do it. Not being disciplined has its consequences. Trying to get homework done at the last minute is not pleasurable for either of us.

If you don’t have rules in place, it is good to have them. If you have too many strict rules in place, then it becomes frustrating for both parties. When we have too much laxity it can be detrimental. Nothing gets done. It is important to teach kids to be capable, productive, competent, and whole.

I believe getting enough sleep is important for the kids to have a good day at school. It is also important for parents to get good sleep. To also set a good example. If we are not disciplined and don’t get adequate sleep we will not be very effective. It is cool to be in bed on time. It makes a world of difference across the board.

Who likes to be all stuffed up? No one likes to be stuffed up. No one likes to be sick. It is tough when little ones get sick. We know we need to rest, when we feel it coming on. Little ones don’t know they should rest. They may continue to play. They may be miserable. They may be cranky. There are times when we get the sniffles on the inside.

We are cranky, tired, and not feeling well. We don’t rest. We keep going. We don’t take care of ourselves. We don’t realize it, until it is too late. What if we were proactive in our lives? Why do we have to wait until we are run down to rest? Why can’t we just rest when we need to? Parents are notorious for not resting and recharging when they need to.

A parent with sniffles, is not a happy parent. We need to stop and take the time to care for ourselves. Better yet, ask for help. No one will tell up to take time out. We have to give that gift to ourselves. Why wait until it is too late? Why wait until the worst is upon us?

Today I was reminded that we should strive to be the best we can be. Run our race. Strive to be the best. There does not have to be perfection. Just strive to win. Be a winner. Don’t settle for second place. You were made for more than second place. You can do better than last place. Run your own race. Be the best version on yourself.

Do what is right and do it to the best of your ability. Don’t worry about what others think about you. Worry about whether or not you are really doing your best. Give it your all. Go all in. Don’t just do something half hearted.  You will win the prize if you come in first. It is more about overcoming obstacles and personal growth. The prize is a better version of yourself.

When we do our best we get to reap the rewards. We may not have imagined what could be possible. We just end up in first place. We get to see the fruits of our labor. When you are a parent. You may not see the outcome until the kids are older. There may be struggles, but in the end it is worth it.

Making the most of every day is something to strive for. Reaching for better and bigger results is a key to success. You can take it one day at a time. Stretching and reaching to achieve a goal, does not have to be painful. It can be small increments over time. A little further each day. A little more each day. A little faster each day.

Reaching does not have to be a huge task. Today I cleaned off a counter, cleared off a table, and washed some dishes. It made a difference in the kitchen. Was the kitchen perfect? No. I felt a sense of accomplishment. I may get a little more done tomorrow. A little bit each day. Over time I will have an entirely clean house. With a little help from the kids, it will be no time before we have a really clean house.

I also want to work on a business plan. I have been writing a little each day. Figuring out various aspects, a little at a time. The next steps involve setting up a time line and finding someone to hold me accountable. Each day I do a little bit more. I am not going to get it all done in a day. I continue to reach a little every day.

Each of us has to go on our own journey. However, we do not have to go along the path alone. We may start out on one path and then decide on a different path. Friends may come and go. People may stay out of our lives completely. Their path is completely divergent from ours. They may need to go on their own road. Many of us may take different paths in a lifetime. People may be a apart of our lives to help us at a certain point or they may need something from us.

Parting is never easy. There may be a reason. It is best not to dwell on the reasons people are no longer a part of our lives. It is best to let them go. If someone does not respond or stay in your life, it may be more about them. Sometimes, God calls them home. All we can do is accept that they may not be a part of our lives. We can live our lives to the fullest no matter what path we are on.

Without others the journey on the path can seem long an arduous. We need each other. Sometimes we need to part.

There is a phrase that I try to use. “Make it work.” I think this is code for problem solving. Moms are great at figuring things out. Sometimes, there are too many things for Mom to figure out. There are days that call for Mom to handle multiple projects at once. I found out today, that I can incorporate technology into my life to help me manage my life better.

Moms need to make all kinds of things work together. We also have to wrangle our kids. I suggest investing in help and technology to assist you with your day to day tasks, if you can. You have to decide for yourself if you can invest in tools to help you manage your life. Also having someone who can assist you in getting tasks done is amazing.

Husbands are great helpers, however they have a lot of work to do. They work full time as well in many families. They also have to manage the kids. My husband is a geek. He likes gadgets. I can’t wait to get him started on using some of the technology I learned about to help us manage our lives. I think the right amount of technology and people power can make it work.