By Wendy Mihm | Tuesday November 30, 2010
Like you, I am a modern parent. For better or worse, I rely much more than previous generations did on the findings of scientific research and what I learn online to inform my parenting and to maintain a work-life balance. This works for me 94.6% of the time.
But I have learned that sometimes it is completely appropriate, and really, really wonderful to break the rules.
Also like you, I am trying to balance the demands of my work with the demands of our family’s lives. Sometimes it’s more challenging than others. For example, just last week the Mihm household had to juggle the following:
- One toddler sickness
- Two school fundraisers
- One school project that included bringing fruit for the entire classroom
- One toddler refusing to nap (starting at onset of aforementioned sickness) and rising at 5:30 every morning
- One minor surgery on one adult
- One minor injury to the other adult
- Typical work schedules for both adults
- Typical school schedule for one child
As you can guess, we were totally wiped out by Friday
And as you probably know, the scientific research says it is best to eat together as a family, at the dinner table. Scientific research has also shown very clearly that parents should strictly limit television watching in children under the age of 2.
We ordered a pizza that night, ate it in front of the TV, and you never saw 4 happier people in your life. Sometimes the best thing you can do to maintain that precarious work-life balance (and your sanity) is to break all the rules.
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