An Afternoon Tea Break

Things have been spinning out of control around here lately.  Or longer than lately but we reached the breaking point today.  School hasn’t been getting done, or at least not consistently enough to meet my long term educational goals.   I have a list a mile long of projects and chores that need to be accomplished and I have a spreadsheet full of schedule dates that I find myself pushing off and rearranging.

Let me take a moment to tell you about a crazy lady with multiple personalities.  I know she has at least two.  I’m pretty sure there are more.  Prideful Tess and Practical Tess.   I’m sure there’s the Tess who lives on Fantasy Island and Dreamy Tess but let’s just focus on Prideful Tess (cause she is getting her behind kicked big time this week) and Practical Tess (who has been doing some of the “I told you so”s and butt whipping of Prideful Tess)

Prideful Tess is herself mixed up.  On the one hand she’s very insecure (or maybe that’s just another Tess altogether) but this Prideful Tess rears her very ugly head when someone implies that she’s not good enough or that somehow she’s not the absolute best.  She’s rather vain thinking that no one else can get the job done as well as she can; that is if she wants the job or if the Insecure Tess doesn’t step in and interfere with Prideful Tess’s plans.

Anyway, Prideful Tess has to admit that despite the fact that she knows she’d be fabulous at anything and everything she sets her mind to do, she really can’t do it all.  Practical Tess has been whispering to Prideful Tess that we need a plan.  We need a budget for our time just as much as we need a budget for our money.

Practical Tess has been secretly evaluating the things Prideful Tess has been seeking to do.  I think Practical Tess might even have been praying because I’m pretty sure God had a hand in helping clear the plate a little bit.

So back to today.   It was bit explosive here with multiple meltdowns and lots of tears.  “I can’t do it all!”  “I can’t take it anymore”  It wasn’t just mom either.

Practical Tess decided enough is enough. She secured the blessing of the principal and called an afternoon tea meeting to solicit suggestions for how to get things done around the house.

The afternoon tea break was a great way to get everyone to settle down.   We went from a lot of tears and frustrations to laughing so hard it hurt.  It felt good to laugh at ourselves. We got some scheduling ideas for things like who gets to have the shower when (thus eliminating the traffic jams).  The girls worked out some great solutions for who is going to vacuum the living room and when it will get done.  Although we all agree that Supergirl needs to shower more often than just when it’s Tailorbear’s week to wash dishes (yes that’s an inside joke.  It went something like this “so when it’s her week for washing dishes that’s when the floors get vacuumed and Supergirl gets a shower.  Oh wait….  Yeah it was much funnier if you were there.  But I just know that’s going to be a catch phrase to make us all laugh.

Having a rough go of things?  I highly recommend an afternoon tea break with earl grey tea and lots of laughter.

Comments

  1. I am SO thankful that your meeting went well, and that you have approached things so wisely and with the sense of humor that I so admire about you and your family :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Can Practical Tess come give Perfectionist Cristi a good talkin' to? I have a feeling I'm headed towards a meltdown. Perhaps I should schedule a tea party before it gets too ugly around here.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I guess maybe it wasn't supposed to be funny, but it was very entertaining reading your descriptions of the multiple sides of you. Afternoon tea sounds like a lovely idea. And, it makes sense to talk about logistics while you're at it. ;) (Yes, I do know that the latter was the real reason for it. =)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Blog Celebration Giveaway!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! NEW START - NEW YEAR - NEW LOOK!

My Love Affair with the Homeschool Review Crew!