On the other hand, my husband’s parents are not doing as well.  I’ve watched his family try to accept the loss of his mother whose delightful mind and personality has succumbed to Alzheimer’s and is now in a care facility.  I’ve watched his dad try to adjust to being “home alone.”  I’ve watched the siblings try to adjust to their mom no longer being the heart of the family.  It has been a painful and rocky road.

The role reversal of parent and child is difficult, emotionally charged and full of potholes and missteps.  Working through the paperwork and understanding the government programs adds another layer of work and stress.

I watched my mother and dad master the role reversal with dignity and grace as they took care of my Grandmother who lived to be 101. Sure there were bumps. Sure there was frustration at times.  But what I saw was the love they always shared with my Grandma.   Sometimes we don’t appreciate the gifts we’ve been given or the lessons taught by example until much later.

Mom and Dad this little post is a tribute to you.  Thank you!

In my life, I wear the hat of spouse, mother, grandmother (of eight and it is the absolute blast), daughter, sister, business owner, friend, gardener, Great Dane and cat caregiver, bird feeder, volunteer and perpetual learner.  Trying to fill the role of each of these can be a daunting task.  Maintaining balance across all of them is difficult if not impossible.

The Juggling Act

If I try to balance all of them, I find myself becoming mediocre at some.  Mediocrity across all the roles does not work for me.   It only causes more stress.  What I’ve learned is there is an ebb and flow to the level of my involvement in all these roles.  When I have to focus on certain roles, I  remind myself it is OK to put others “hats” on the shelf for a bit.  (Obviously, you cannot do this with your children, although you may like to.)  I’ve also learned that there are ways that I can incorporate just a bit of time in my day for certain roles like life-long learner.  I’ve learned to make use of drive time to listen to audio tapes of things that interest me.  My car has a traveling library of audio tapes that I have to move when I put on my “grandma hat” and trade car seats for audio tapes.  I fill my iPod with educational programs, subliminal tapes and meditation programs and listen at night while falling asleep or while I’m traveling on a airplane, or walking the dog.

What “hats” do you wear?.  How do you manage your “hats?’  What tips or tricks have you learned that could help others?  Please share your thoughts so we all can learn.