Photo by daveblumeIt goes without saying that two of the most difficult things you will have to do in your life are parenting and marriage. Never before or after in life will you be presented repeatedly with moments that will define you as a person and show the person you truly are. Parenting and marriage will make you pull your hair out, but they will pay off as well if you stick around long enough.
The way to survive parenting and marriage with a smile on your face is to take time to yourself every day. This is not to say you take several hours to go to a movie every day or take a small vacation by yourself. No, life with parenting and marriage will make you appreciate the small times alone and that is what you need.
When you are in the stretch run of parenting and marriage when your marriage is young and your kids are younger, you will learn to appreciate the minutes instead of the hours. When you are driving home from work you may opt for silence instead of the radio. To survive parenting and marriage you may take just a few more moments in the shower every day to yourself.
In the end, parenting and marriage truly comes down to the same things as the rest of your life. Some moments are big and some are small, you have to enjoy both with the same amount of drive and vigor. Don’t long for hours alone, look for your moments and take them in stride.
