Raising Resilience Daily

Kids grow up. Families expand. And suddenly, “extended family” doesn’t just mean your parents or siblings; it means cousins, their kids, and the ripple effect of generations gathering together. The calendar fills with birthdays, reunions, and traditions that have been carried for decades.

But then come the sports. Because we are a sports family. And with them, practices, tournaments, and weekends swallowed whole by fields, courts, and rinks. Somewhere in the shuffle, you’re left asking: When do we adjust the schedule to make time for our own immediate family?

The truth is, you risk breaking traditions if you say no. You risk breaking your sanity if you say yes to everything. Someone will be upset either way. And if no one else is upset, you’ll still feel like you’re constantly running; never fully present, always juggling.

And whose mental load is all of this? Moms.

• Moms do the shopping.
• Moms make the lists.
• Moms decide the food.
• Moms book the hotels.
• Moms carry the weight of keeping traditions alive while also keeping the family afloat.

It’s. A lot.

So what do we do? We do it in silence. We push through. We try to make it all work. But this year, I’m setting boundaries. I’m saying I can’t. For the sake of my mental health, I can’t make every historical tradition stick when the schedule keeps growing.

How am I doing with that decision? Honestly, I’m struggling. I’m struggling hard because of the expectations; both from others and from myself. But the only way to break the cycle for my kids and their futures is to try. To show them that boundaries matter. That traditions can evolve. That family time doesn’t have to mean exhaustion.

So – Here. We. Go.

Raising leaders, chasing goals, and occasionally losing my mind.