Thursday, June 08, 2006

Problem of the Week 6/8/05: Staying Focused

I don't know about you, but for me, my home is a place of refuge. Granted, it's juice-stained, finger-print-smeared, and host to floor shaking antics aplenty, but it's still presided over by me and under my control (sort of).

I have my own system for cleaning pee off the potty ring, I know where my "yucky" towels are (used for cleaning up barf and pee or for mopping the bathroom floor), and when I want to get the kids a glass of water or a snack, I know where it is.

Certainly, it's hectic. It's crazy. It invovles a lot of barf and pee. But in the end, I at least feel in control of the mess because it's all mine.

Which brings me to the problem of the week- staying focused on what's important and accepting help.

I desperately need help this month- help with the baby, help getting the house clean, help doing the dishes and other mundane chores.

But it's SO HARD for me to just relax and let someone else do the work.

Especially when "someone else" doesn't use my time-tested systems, doesn't know where my spatula goes, or where to put the kids' laundry.

I'm not one of those anal people who need their house to be perfectly clean, or who criticizes the way others do dishes or vacuum.

But I will admit that having other people put away my dishes and the kids' toys, or fold my laundry creates a general sense of disorder that is hard for me to cope with.

I feel like I can't find anything when I need it, and I find myself being bothered by the fact that all the jammy tops and bottoms seem to have parted ways, and all the socks seem to have come unpaired.

I should be relaxing and counting my blessings. I have a third healthy, perfect baby boy, and a loving family and friends who are surrounding me with help and pitching in to make sure I don't get worn out.

Lost socks? Missing toys? Disappearing colander? They are NOTHING in the scheme of things, and I need to stay focused on this important fact.

Now, would any of you mind telling me how?

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