threebythirty: It's hard to be a wizard

Tonight the kids and I were *enjoying* a delightful episode of 'The Backyardigans' after dinner, while we were winding down before bathtime. Usually, I'm not completely tuned in to the show but whenever they sing their little songs, the kids join in and dance around the room. Tonight, one of the songs was called 'It's Hard to be a Wizard. Of course, the show was about wizards, not moms...but as I listened, I thought, "hmm...if a mom doesn't qualify as a wizard, I don't know who does".

Teaching allows me the opportunity to play both the role of 'working mom' during the school year, and stay at home mom (SAHM) during the summer. I enjoy the balance of both, as I've told several people that I feel I'm a better mom because I work (note: this is my personal feeling about myself, not saying that working moms in general are better moms). Being in the midst of the school year, however, I found myself thrown for a loop over the past two days. Our school district was closed due to frigid temps, so I was able to experience a blissful break from my usual daily grind of mommy/wife/teacher/wake-at-5/out-the-door-by-6:30/non-stop-all-day/home-at-5/dinner/clean/play/bathtime/laundry/bed. This break, however, presented an inner struggle. I wanted to relax, rest, play, enjoy the 'gift' of these days with my kids, but found myself 'needing' to do things around the house and fall into the SAHM side that I show all summer long (and weekends). I didn't want to 'waste' the day when I had laundry to do, coupons to clip, menus to plan, bananas needing to be made into bread, chicken soup and dumplings to prepare...but then again...I'm reading The Help and it is.so.good. Plus, my kids were jazzed we got to hang out at home (so was I).

Thankfully, as I mentioned, moms are wizards. A few bolts of lightning, a wave of my magic wand, and I was able to successfully balance all of my wishes and desires for our two extra days off. Pancake breakfast. Baking banana bread. Chicken noodle soup with homemade dumplings. Coupon clippings. Work on baby announcements. Play. Cuggle. Watch movies. Books. Building blocks. Time for mom to read. Basketball. Hide and seek. Bath. Sweet dreams.

Tomorrow I've got a full 12-hour day for conferences, so while I'm back to my morning madness routine, I still get to *enjoy* a break from the evening time rush/balance to make dinner, clean up, and have fun with the kids before bed, as Randy will be home with them. Rather, I'll be at work, working my magic with my students and their parents, especially since we've had two days off school prior to conferences and the prep work required for them has been non-existent. My pendulum will swing from one extreme to the other in a matter of 24 hours.

Moms have the power to make the magic happen each day whether we're working moms, SAHMs, or have the great fortune to experience both sides of the coin. We have to balance the things we 'have' to do with the things that we 'need' to do, and 'want' to do. I never thought I'd quote the Backyardigans...'it's hard to be a wizard'.

Here's some memories from the past two days...