Urban Sweetpea : How to Build a Better Monday

I'm sure most of you can sympathize with me--Monday is my least favorite day of the week. I think because it signals the end of the weekend and getting back to the weekly grind. Or maybe because it's laundry day. (For those of you who don't know me, laundry is the most dreaded of all chores for me. I'd actually rather clean bathrooms than do laundry--honestly.) I like tasks that are quick, clear-cut, and have a logical end. In a home with three kids ranging in age from 5-15, laundry is a never-ending, or at least so it seems.

With all this in mind, I now come to the subject of this blog: How to Build a Better Monday. I don't think I've ever met an individual who jumps right out there and admits that they love Mondays. Whether we would like to admit it or not, we are all victims of our modern, hectic schedules. My mother-in-law recently commented that she finds it odd that to invite our family over to her home for dinner, she needs schedule it 2-3 weeks in advance--between the five of us, we are truly booked out that far in advance, and sometimes longer. How many times do we look at our schedules, and think: if I could just have a half an hour to myself to get my thoughts together, I'd be so much more productive....

So.....here is what I propose: Why not learn to be kind to ourselves, and treat ourselves as we would treat a good friend who we know is facing a long, hectic week? How many times have you had a friend say to you, "Is there anything I can do to help?" after you've just spent 10 minutes venting to them about the endless whirlwind of events that you face in the upcoming five days? Very often (supermoms that we are....), we decline this help, but it is comforting nonetheless to have it offered to us, isn't it? On the rare occasion that we do accept the offer, think about the sense of relief there is to have just that one little thing taken off of our plate--like not having to pick up from preschool, or having a friend who's going to be out anyway pick up the gallon of milk you need so you can cross going to the grocery store off of your list.

The key to building a better Monday lies in learning to be friend to yourself in addition to being your own ruthless taskmaster. Give yourself what you need on this most difficult of days, whether it is getting up half an hour before everyone else does in the morning to have blessed silence as you prepare yourself for the upcoming day, or foregoing that extra load of laundry and going to Starbucks to treat yourself to that tall white skim mocha, no whip--ideally sans kids. On Monday, give yourself the gift of what you need most--even if it can only be 15 minutes of it. I promise it will make the rest of the day seem all-the-better--or at least a little bit less Monday-ish.

On to a much more fun subject: How my kids entertain me. My birthday was this past Saturday, and my husband and I have our kids make cards for such occasions. I truly believe it is better to give and receive handmade, which is why I love what I do so much. My kids were so proud of the cards they gave me. Camille (my youngest daughter, who just turned 7 a month ago) loves to sit and watch me work, and I notice a lot of my art mirrored in what she draws. It is sweet (and flattering) to see a glimpse of a cake or a flower I've drawn show up in one of her masterpieces--and lets me know that what I do has an impact on her life and how she thinks.

My son Carter (who just turned 5) is just starting to fiddle with being creative, and was so proud of the two hearts he cut out and colored for me. He was practically gleaming when he handed them to me first thing Saturday morning with a sweet little "happy birthday, mommy" and a big hug around my waist as I tried to make it down the stairs. For your viewing enjoyment (and because I love to brag about my kids), I have taken pictures of my children's' hard work for all to see:

And finally, I need to comment on my oldest daughter, Whitnee, who didn't give me a handmade card like her brother and sister, but gave me something that I cherish even more. At 15, she is a typical teenage girl, caught up in all the hormones and the self-centeredness that goes along with it. However, yesterday, as I was preparing brunch, out of the blue she asked, "Mom, do you want me to set the table?" This may seem rather unnoteworthy, but this was a landmark moment. It was the first time ever--EVER--that she offered to set the table without me telling her to, or without something being held over her head. For a brief moment (before she slipped back into being a typical teenager) I got a glimpse of the maturity that I have been secretly been hoping is growing alongside her new found sense of independence and adolescent obstinacy. It's there--it's REALLY there, and now I'm sure of it. I praised and thanked her more than once (okay, I overdid it--but I was on such a surprise-high, I couldn't help myself...). Just another reminder that often times, it is the simplest and most unexpected of things that make life so sweet.

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Christy, I love your blog! I love how it has a little bit of everything! The kids' valentine's are so cute and I love the story about their homemade gifts for you...speaking of which, Happy Birthday! Thanks for sharing your site with me!

-Addy

Posted by: Addy | February 16, 2009 at 08:10 PM