I want to offer you an analogy I learned about when I was a college
student at Duke University. Envision your life as a stool with legs that
represent three critical areas:

· Self- serving your own needs and interests

· Kids- attending to the needs of children and your
relationship with them

· Relationships with others- nurturing relationships
with a partner, extended family and friends

If we lose touch with any one leg, the stool will wobble and be
difficult to balance. If we lose touch with two of the legs,
the stool will fall.

In our society, many stools risk wobbling, and eventually falling.
If you stay home full-time, it's easy to let the role of
"mom" take over your life- as you strive to schedule numerous sports
and enrichment activities for your kids and attend to
their needs. If you work full-time, you may find yourself giving
every minute of your free time to your children. In either
case, you risk over-identifying with one role- "mother" and
neglecting others.

If your stool is wobbling, you risk burnout, becoming sick or
injured, or some other sign your body may use to express the
imbalance. You risk becoming detached from others you care about as
well as from your true self and your authentic happiness.

Our kids deserve excellent care, unconditional love and ample
attention. After the foundation is set, however,they grow up
and move on. It's wise for us to make sure we have something vital
left inside when they do.

Although "mom" may be your greatest priority, as it is mine, it is
unlikely the only role you have. You are also an
individual- as well as perhaps a wife, sister, daughter or friend.
Take the time to consider all your roles and whether you
are leaving enough room in your life to nurture them.

Bria Simpson, MA
Life Coach and Parenting Specialist

_______________________
© 2004 by Bria Simpson
All rights and media reserved.
web: http://www.briacoach.com
Helping moms strengthen and balance their family lives while