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One of my immediate plans before I turn fifty is to have a home away from home for the whole family. A lake house. Wouldn’t that be great?! Just imagining it brings an extraordinary calm in my being. I know that one way or another I will bring this plan to fruition as a way to commemorate my parents’ memories. They would have been so happy to have a lake house to call their own.

Fiberglass boat parts manufactured by BLG reminded me of our family’s life-long dream of having a home away from home, one that we can actually call our own and not one that we’re only renting out for a period of time. A very good friend of mine and her husband were lucky enough to secure ownership of a retiring couple’s lake house. It was a matter of being at the right place at the right time for my friend and her husband. They were not looking for a lake house but a rental. When the couple offered them their lake house, they immediately took the offer. The rest, as they say, is history. Now, they also have a boat, a good lot surrounding their house, and an all-year-round rotating list of visitors, family and friends alike.

In the past, all I wanted was a small hut surrounded by lush greenery. Off the grid. Not necessarily near a body of water but that would be good, too. Just a place to go to on weekends to slow down the pace of life for all of us city people. When my friend told me the story of their vacation house, my old dream disappeared and was replaced by the lake house. Now, being outside the house, sipping wine or drinking coffee with my sisters, and just looking out towards the lake… I can almost feel it. I can almost hear the nonstop chatter, the late-night giggling, the noise coming from my nephews playing, horsing around…

I was working almost daily when my mom was sick. I would go home late at night, would leave the house very early in the morning. I remember my mom would fight to stay awake to be able to see me come home most days. But when my mom passed away, I promised the family that I would spend more time with them, at home. I would cut down my working hours, even if it meant piling up on tasks even more. I am happy that I got to spend more time with my love ones, especially my dad before he passed away. My parents died young. It made me realize how true that life is really short. It also made me appreciate all the time I can spend with the people I love.

A home away from home is another way to spend time with my family. Soon.

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In the quest to become the perfect parent, many moms take on huge amounts of responsibility. But, eventually, it catches up with you. All that work around the house can often become too much, particularly if you have more than one child.

In this post, we take a look at some of the reasons why it makes sense to ask for more help around the house. Nobody is saying that you have to delegate entirely, but just getting a little help here and there can go a long way.

You’re At Risk Of Burnout

If the household chores are solely your responsibility, you’re putting yourself at dire risk of burnout. Constantly working during the day, and then at evenings and weekends, doesn’t give you any space to just relax, unwind, and forget about life’s troubles. You’re always on the go, moving from one room to the next, fighting a never-ending battle.

Getting some help, though, can provide you with the equivalent of one evening off per week, if not more. Having other people shoulder the burden gives you time to recharge.

You Feel Frustrated

Managing a household isn’t just physically demanding, it’s also emotionally burdening as well, particularly if other family members aren’t pulling their weight. It only seems fair that each person should share the work equally, but that rarely happens. Instead, you seem to be the one who is always cleaning and tidying up, which inevitably leads to frustration.

Again, asking for help can prevent this. Once your spouse and children are doing their bit, you have less reason to feel angry with them.

You Can’t Solve Some Problems

No matter how much cleaning and tidying you do around the house, there are sometimes problems that you just can’t solve. Take storage, for instance. If you have too much clutter in your home, no amount of “putting away time” is going to fix it.

Similarly, if you have mold in your bathroom, scrubbing won’t usually solve the problem. Without using mold mitigation services to investigate the root cause of the issue, you’re battling away in vain.

Asking for help isn’t capitulation. Instead, it’s an admission that some problems are just intractable and that you need help. Once you get the assistance you need, you often find that many household tasks get easier, or simply disappear altogether.

You Want More “Me” Time

A scarcity of “me” time can really hurt your happiness. If you’re constantly serving others and never taking time for yourself, you can feel trapped in your own home. You’re not living the life you want at all.

The good news is that asking for help is a way of grabbing more time for yourself. If somebody else is cleaning the bathroom because you’ve been doing it all month, you can finally put your feet up, do some exercise, or indulge in a hobby.

Just remember, it’s okay to ask for help around the house. The job of a mom is to raise healthy children, not operate a hotel service. Getting other family members to contribute helps you, and also helps them as well.