We are all guilty of this. You are physically present with your child, but you are somewhere else in your mind. Dinner, garbage, homework, laundry, your work responsibilities. The list is truly endless. And it never stops. As a mom, right now I am really struggling to be present.

I feel like I am constantly multi-tasking while my to-do list is running through my head. Managing the calendars of three children is insane. In my mind, I see a whole lot of unchecked boxes and more items being added on as the day and night go on. I feel overwhelmed. I feel like I can’t stay on top of anything — work or home.

And I know this isn’t a coincidence when I tell you that my kids seem more agitated, needier, and more disgruntled each day. I know I’m not meeting their need for connection, attention, and validation. I’m not finding my kids to be funny, and I don’t have it in me to be funny or keep things light. I am merely looking at the day and night as a countdown with a list that’s growing, not getting any shorter.