Hope Is Not A Strategy

Today I’m stressing about deadlines.  Not deadlines at work necessarily, but the fact that as a working parent I have so many deadlines for things put on me by other people that it is sometimes quite frustrating.  Today, the stress comes from the fact that football and cheer leading pictures are this evening.  Now, if you’ve read my blog before, you know I am very passionate about supporting my kids’ football organization.  I scramble to get them to every practice and game on time or early.  Today the pictures are scheduled at 5:30 pm.  Typically, when I leave work “on time”, it means I can barely get them to practice on time at 6:00 pm.

The kids asked if we would make it on time.  I said, “I hope so.”  But, in my head I know that it is going to be impossible.

I know it’s not fair to them that they work so hard, then can’t be in the picture.  But, what is a working parent to do when both parents have jobs and neither can take off early on a particular day because of the things that are scheduled?  I need a strategy, and hope is not a strategy.  I want to be the best mom possible and I want to help them do all the things that are important to them.

Have you run into this type of dilemma before?  What have you done in order to make your kids feel valuable and happy while still meeting work obligations?