Old Dog, New Tricks?

There are a number of things in the works for me in the next few months. I might have become overwhelmed by all of it at one point in my life, but these days I just roll with it. Everything works out in the way and time it is supposed to, so there really is no point in allowing the weight of it all to pull me down. Especially when these things might get me closer to achieving a couple of life goals.

Mixed in with my own things are those parental duties like college tours, financial aid assessing and keeping the teen on track. Of course, there's also work, though I've gotten used to balancing that particular routine with nearly anything the Universe sends my way. One would think that after 20 years of motherhood I'd be pretty adept at all parenthood comes with, but there are things even the best of us aren't immediately great with.

I find the whole college process just as overwhelming now as I did when it was me who was a year from graduating. I didn't end up getting a degree until I was in my late 30s, so I have incredible empathy for the stress my youngest son is dealing with right now. The process may have steps, but when the overall picture looms in the front of your mind, it's difficult to break off bits at a time.

Wanting my son to succeed, I know I have to find a way to walk through all of this with him, without letting my stress further compound his. That isn't going to be easy, but thankfully there are resources and people who are ready to help a mom out. When I don't have the answers, or I can't keep us on track, the guidance counselors at his school are our first go-to to stay proactive and focused. This was far from my experience with my oldest son and his school resources. It's essentially like facing this all for the first time, and I find it's tough not to wish things had been more like this experience with my oldest. There isn't much that I can do to change that and knowing the difference it has already made has set some of my worries at ease.

It occurs to me that I may want to utilize some of the organizational approaches this whole college prep stage has introduced us to in my own pursuits. It certainly would make the less fun aspects a bit easier to get through. Given that I'll be taking on a bit more to my regular routine, this is a wise idea. It's never too late to learn something new, of course, it does take a little effort to incorporate unfamiliar techniques into life when you're nearly maxed out with everything else. I suppose, in the spirit of how I approach most days, I'm game.