Today I’m drowning, trying to manage the end of the year chaos. The last day of school can’t come soon enough, it s been a hectic year with four kids and four schools to juggle.

Between 15 candles, gift cards and handwritten notes to all the people who have influenced my children this year, it’s been a bit overwhelming to say the least.

One of my challenges this year has been deciding how much is enough to give, and for our family, how much may be too much.  

There are so many people to recognize and I truly believe that teachers and families co-parent together. The reality is that teachers spend as much quality time with our children as we do and I think it may almost be more influential. The memories that they take with them from their tender years of school, I think may stick with them forever.

Today I had Rain’s end of the year party, Sierra had a school performance and Shaya was graduating from pre-school. Unfortunately, some of the events were happening at exactly the same time in different locations so I had to pick and choose – a dilemma I know many moms with multiple children have to face.

Having to miss my fifth grader’s end of the year performance to make it to my pre-schooler’s graduation broke my heart and I think it disappointed Sierra as well. All I could do was explain to her that pre-school graduation comes along once in a lifetime and I’ve never missed any of my children’s, including hers.

So in between the two events, I dropped her off some flowers. Rain and I wrote her a sentimental card with apologies and love, and a sweet chocolate cake pop – one of her favorite treats. I’m not sure if they were guilt gifts or peace treaties, because if I know my daughter, she’ll never let me hear the end of it and the mark of disappointment will stay with her for a long time.

But I’m doing the best I can and moving on to tomorrow for another day of kindergarten graduations and wrapping up the end of the year. When it’s over, I think I’ll take the deepest breath I’ve taken in two weeks. Oh what a year!

Everyone seems to be talking about vacation plans for the summer, but for us I’m looking forward to a whole lot of nothing. Some down time with the family, mornings to sleep in and quite honestly a lot of R & R that we all need. The thought of packing up the six of us and going on vacation right now seems more like a nightmare then a holiday. So I think we’ll be chilling this summer in Malibu.

These are the things I learned:

Share everything.
Play fair.
Don’t hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don’t take things that aren’t yours.
Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life –
Learn some and think some
And draw and paint and sing and dance
And play and work everyday some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world,
Watch out for traffic,
Hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.