Moms - Get More Energy Now

Let's be honest! When it comes to parenting, men expecttheir wives or partners to do the lion's share.

There are signs that we're moving toward a more enlightenedage in which ALL parents play their part.

But in the meantime, let's concentrate on some help fortired moms.

Apparently the number one question mothers ask their doctorsis, "How can I get more energy?"

Fatigue is a serious problem when it robs us of ourhappiness, our sense of balance, and even our effectiveparenting skills.

So what's the answer?

Ironically, the best way to overcome the energy crisis is tofirst of all spend just a little bit more time andenergy.But hang in there! It will pay great dividends in a shorttime.

The first area to tackle is managing the household.Toomany mothers do too much work.

And that's not fair!

Divide up the chores so that everyone pulls their weight.Even young kids can be involved.

I know of one family who have a game of 'Lorries' (or'Trucks') when the rooms need tidied. Mum is the boss. Shelines the kids up and 'loads' them with toys, books,magazines, the ironing - whatever needs to be tidied - andthe kids are then 'dispatched' to make their deliveries.Yes, a bit of training may be required - especially on howto carry and put away newly ironed clothes! - but withpractice and perseverance kids can learn.

A chart can record contributions, with the promise of areward at the end of the week. A trip to the cinema, theswimming pool or ice-skating, a special treat at dinner -it doesn't matter, so long as you honour the commitmentsmade!

With the household chores now being managed effectively, thenext step is to build in some QRT - QualityRecovery Time.

Insist on it. Demand it! Yell from the rooftops ifnecessary, but make sure you get your entitled share oftime-out.

And it must suit YOU. What's good for one person won'tnecessarily suit another. To my wife, for example, the T inRT stands for Retail Therapy. Shopping malls arejust not myscene, so to me it stands for Torture!

Individual time-out, then, means doing whatever is importantto you. Many women like to have a 'general pampering'session, ranging from a bath with scented candles and softmusic to working out at the gym.

So where does the time for these individual sessions comefrom?

This is when you call on partners, extended family orfriends. Sharing the kids' supervision with trusted friendsis a great idea. You take their kids with yours on anouting one time, and they take yours the next. This freesuptime for individual relaxation, or gives you and your spouseor partner a chance to relax away from it all.

So - get organised. Run your household with a clearlydefined routine.

Have family outings and/or activities where you all relaxand enjoy each other as a family unit.

Call on family or friends to share the load, and enjoy somewell-deserved time-out with your spouse or partner, ANDbuild in some personal QRT when you do what suits you andONLY you.

If your lifestyle follows this pattern, your energy levelswill take care of themselves.

Happy parenting!

Why do some parents and children succeed, while othersfail?Frank McGinty is an internationally published author andteacher. If you want to develop your parentingskills and encourage your kids to be all they can be, visit his web pages, http://www.frank-mcginty.com/peace-formula.html AND http://www.frank-mcginty.com/for-parents.html