I recently came across this fun little list of 12 Commandments for Being at Your Parenting Best over on the Modern Parents, Messy Kids blog and I decided to evaluate myself.  I have to admit, once I started reading the "Rules for Survival", I found myself thinking that I'd go crazy if I was this rigid.  Here, you decide.

 

Yeah, after looking this over, I am pretty sure I am lacking in many areas!  Let's start at the top:

1. Breakfast – I can safely say that I rarely eat breakfast at a normal hour.  We are big sleepers in this house and {call me crazy, but} I'd rather sleep in than wake up just to eat!  This is something I need to be better about.  My kids usually have breakfast just fine but I am more likely to be checking my Twitter stream than making myself toast.  Priorities, right?

2.  Kids – Working from home makes this commandment a difficult one.  Not that I mind focusing on this kids, it's just that engaging all three of them at the same time can sometimes prove to be difficult. Plus, there's that Twitter stream thing again.  I know I'm not the only one, right?

3.  Snacks – Um, yeah I'm not sure who the over-acheiving mom is that would have protein-rich snacks available at "all times" is, but I ain't her!  I actually have a life, so kids, reach for the Oreos & popcorn so mom can keep tweeting.

4.  Water – Diet Coke has water, right?  Good.

5.  Wear kids out – Is it even necessary to say this?  That's why I love our big backyard and the fact that we have a water hose.  It's not necessary for me to see them for at least 2 hours!  Plenty of room to run and play, plus an unlimited supply of water.  Looks like mom has time for retweets!

6.  Lunch – Let me just say I am so grateful that my kids are at an age where they can either a) make their own peanut butter & jelly sandwiches or b) have an older sibling make it for them.  Bonus: let them take their food out on the deck and save mommy the indoor cleanup!

7.  Menu planning – Ok, planning I can do but a month ahead of time?  Um, let me think.  NOT!  Who does that, really?

8.  Take deep breaths – Usually I just don't look up from my computer screen to react and I am able to forget all about whatever it is that I should be mad about.  There's breaking news on Twitter – the kids' battles can wait!

9.  Messes – Guess what my kids get to do when they say "Mommy, I'm bored!"  It's a good thing all the cleaners I use are pretty darn safe enough that even kids can handle them.

10.  Laundry – Doing laundry every other day is for the birds.  It's not like the kids really need clean baseball pants for their next game.  They're just going to get dirty again, right?

11.  Relax – Yeah, I have a great way to relax my brain!  Remember that Twitter thing I was talking about earlier?

12.  Sleep – Not sure what that is, exactly.  I'll see if there's a hashtag on it and find out more.

So, how do you fare on the 12 commandments of being at your parenting best?  C'mon, don't tell me I am the only one.