The too busy stage mom

Greetings,

"I am so selfish!" These are the words that I said to myself this morning. As a theatre professional, graduate student and mother of five creative artists, I have a very busy week coming up. “I can’t get all that I need to get done.” Then I paused. "I am so selfish!"

This past Saturday, my husband of 16 years buried his mother. All this past week he spoke of memories that he would cherish forever. She was a principal and highly devoted mother. So many of the speeches at the wake and service described her as a family oriented person who would give anything to her family. She cared so much about her family. “What will they say about me?” Do I need to sacrifice time, energy and sanity to do it all?

My kids are in violin, tutoring, fencing, dance, gymnastics, and piano. They have play dates and I home school them. I want my kids to have what I didn't.  I want them experience EVERYTHING and then have a choice of the direction that they want to go. I want to be a supermom so that my kids can have fond memories of me giving my all to them. 

A friend of mine called me to give her condolences and I told her that I was doing my homework. She laughed and said, "Girl you are always doing something. What are you doing now?" It made me think. I have my kids schedule and then there is mine. I am in grad school, writing a movie, two books, two plays and starting another theatre company. It is too much. If I don't settle down then my kids might not have those memories.

I am writing this blog for those entertainment moms that drive their kids everywhere for everything. I know how you feel about having well-rounded children but when do you decide that enough is enough? When do you look at your kids and decide that too much enrichment might be hurting them?

I took a moment to pray about week and just ask for strength. I can't do it all in one day. My homework will get done, my house will be clean, my kids will get to their classes and I will make it to my rehearsals and auditions, but it won’t all get done today. Today will be my day.

All things creative, 

Enrika M. Sissle