“Honey, what would you like to do on Mother’s Day?” my husband asked.
My body went stiff. My stomach started to boil like the pasta I was stirring on the stove. The question was asked innocently, but after an intense year of making all the plans — which included our kid’s remote learning and all of our grown-up schedules — I was looking forward to giving my overworked brain some downtime. Now that wasn’t happening.
Had I set my expectations too high, hoping my family might take over the arrangements of my one official day off?
Generally speaking, I’m the planner in the family
The expectations I’ve set for myself in the planning department are high
I want my family to succeed, and my skills usually help them on their way. But after a year of managing, the likes of which my brain has never seen, it needs a day off. Maybe I’m expecting too much of myself on a daily basis. Or am I expecting too much of my husband to pencil one in for me?
“What do you want to do for Mother’s Day?” lingered as I watched the boiling pasta water go down the drain. I wanted to get rid of the boiling feeling in my stomach too. I’d been so looking forward to Mother’s Day — until it seemed like just another day for me to plan and schedule. So, I did what I do best. I organized — but this time it was a conversation.
“Honey, can we plan some time to talk about our plans?” I asked.
My husband listened as I explained that being the only manager on duty here has depleted my mental reserves. I needed some help with all the scheduling — not only for Mother's Day but for every day. Thankfully, he understood. The good news is I'm expecting not to answer the "What I want to for Mother's Day" question and that's definitely a happy Mother's Day for me.
