Just Say No

As published in the LaPorte County Herald-Argus:

Just Say No
By, Michelle Harmon

Snacks for playdate, plan sister's baby shower, cookies for church bake sale, make eye doctor appointment for hubby, son's basketball games Tuesday and Thursday, basketball practice till 5, daughter's ballet on Wednesday and Friday, parent-teacher meeting Thursday, grocery store, meeting on Tuesday, and the list goes on and on. The above looks like a typical week in the life of a busy mom. How do we ever manage it all?
While talking with my Mom friends at a recent playdate, one of the moms confessed, “I have so many things going on this week, that I almost canceled today, but my daughter was so excited to come, that I didn't.” The rest of us moms mumbled and nodded in agreement. We all had too much on our plates, and yet, we still kept right on filling them. Why? Why do we do this to ourselves?
I think, as women, we have an innate desire to please others. We are born nurturers, and we feel it our duty to make those around us feel happy. This explains the things we do for our kids and husbands, but what about everybody else? Unfortunately, I think most women care to much what others think and are afraid of being judged by others, especially by other women. If I go to the playdate, will they think I'm being antisocial or a bad mom? If I don't bake cookies for the bake sale, will they think I don't care? We have to stop this way of thinking and realize that if you don't bake cookies for the bake sale, someone else will, and, you know what? That's OK. If you miss one playdate or birthday party, your kid will survive and so will you.
Practice saying no. The next time you are asked to attend an event or to bake something or any other chore of the sort, just say no. It will be hard, at first, but then the relief will set in. You will be able to do the things that you really need to do and maybe even some of the things you want to do and not feel like you're just going through the motions. Don't you ever get tired of feeling like you're on autopilot? Take back the controls, Mom. Just say no.