Superwoman 101

"Tommy's mom makes the best lasagna, Tommy's mom always has homemade cookies, Tommy's house is much cleaner than ours."

Secretly you hope that Tommy's mom is 300 pounds and has a wart on her face, but when you finally meet this women  it's like staring at Kelly Ripa's twin.  So you plaster a fake smile on your face and wonder.... how does she do it?  Well Tommy's mom isn't perfect and I'm here to tell you her secret.

The key to being a superwoman/wife/mom can be summed up in 3 simple bullet points.  P.D.F. - Plan, Delegate and be Flexible. 

1. Plan.  Make scheduling your friend.   It mimics the business world, you make appointments and meet deadlines.  I personally could not function without a schedule and  in fact, I get more accomplished when I am busy than when I am not.  Go figure.  I plan everything from meals, work-outs and chores to free time - don't laugh, it's true.  It may take a little effort at first but eventually it will get easier and become second nature.  Write it on a white board, put it in Google calender, chicken scratch it on the back of your hand - find what works for you and do it.
   Don't forget to schedule 'me time', whatever that may mean to you.  I generally schedule my 'me time' on Sunday nights.  It includes some drab things like bleaching my mustache and plucking my eyebrows, but I also have a bath and curl up with a good book.  The whole family understands that the bathroom is off limits at this time.  Do what you need to do to unwind, it's important.
2. Delegate.  Realize that you can't do it all yourself (or you'll go mad!).  Learn how to delegate tasks.  Remember that the man may be the head of the family but the woman is the neck, and she can move that head any way she wants!  Think of your kids as your arms and your legs, they are under voluntary control - well, most of the time.  Being superwoman is a lot easier with a supporting cast.
3. Be flexible.  Don't let your life fall apart if things don't go according to plan.  There will almost always be obstacles.  If the bathroom doesn't get cleaned on Wednesday because you went to see a concert, relax! Take a breath and move on.  You can clean it tomorrow or get back on schedule next week.  Be a cucumber - as in cool as one.

Through trial and error you will find a routine that works for you and your family.  In no time Tommy's mom will be you, and the other mother's in their curlers and sweat pants will be wondering how you do it.