Importance

I am a type A personality. I love routine. I thrive on rules. I don't like to be late, and I need always to have a plan.

I am also a mom of a 3 year old and a 17 month old.

These things do not always mesh well.

I have come to find in recent months that it is more important to spend time with my kids than it is to stick to a schedule or a routine. The routine is useful and helpful and even necessary for the sanity of the home, but sometimes it needs to be strayed from. Sometimes it's better to take things one day at a time...one hour at a time. Sometimes, a mom just needs to sit in the floor and play "dollhouse" instead of making sure that their children learn to entertain themselves so that she can sweep the kitchen or start another load of laundry.

I have also come to discover that there is such thing as too many rules. Rules are good, safe and again, necessary. But sometimes, rules are stifling and can smother the spirit of our children. There doesn't have to be a rule for everything.

Sometimes, a mom will walk into the room of her should-be-napping toddler and find her 3 year old in the crib and both wide awake.

And that mom will have two choices:

1) Scold the 3 year old for waking the youngest and for climbing on the furniture

Or

2) Grab the camera and snap some pics, treasuring the sweet moment of sisterly affection and fun and mischief.

Today, I chose the latter.

Tomorrow...

...well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.