Relatively frequently people ask me how I do it – run a business, travel, and parent three kids. While there are occasionally (seriously, occasionally) moments when I do feel like super mom who is making it all work together beautifully, there are also lots of moments when I feel like I’m barely holding things together or when things are falling through the cracks.
As of last night, I am now 2 for 2 on failing to come through as the tooth fairy for someone’s first lost tooth. This sweet girl, who used to cuddle on my lap while I worked just 10 or 15 hours per week, is now 6.5 and has been anxiously awaiting losing her first for more than a year. She watched as her sister and friends lost teeth and kept wondering when it would be her turn. Finally, finally, she lost a tooth last night…and then she actually *lost* the tooth. We stopped tears with promises that it was OK and the tooth fairy would still come, all she had to do was write a note explaining what happened. She wrote the note, put it under her pillow and went to bed expectantly.
After tucking them in, I sat down to update slides for a workshop I taught this afternoon (nothing like the last minute). I worked until 1:30, went to bed and completely forgot about the tooth fairy. Chris did too. It was one of those #parentingfails that really eats at you, and the sort of thing that I’ll admit happens way more than I wish it would, given all the balls we’re trying to keep in the air.
I’m not really sure where I’m going with this, expect to say work-life balance is really hard, disappointing your kids sucks, and just in case you were wondering there is nothing magical and no superpowers happening around here. Fingers crossed, tomorrow is a better day.
