I’ve been on auto-pilot many times as I’ve driven home from the grocery store. It’s not until I pull onto my street that I realize I can’t remember the last ten minutes and six miles. I’ve taken that route so many times I don’t think about when to turn, when to speed up, and when to slow down. Then I wonder … did I stop at the red light? Did I check for anyone crossing the sidewalk? Auto-pilot scares me.
In parenting, there are three types of auto-pilot:
The Questions:
1. Where am I? You’re in a different neighborhood than you anticipated. Suddenly you look around and realize your child should have been potty-trained three months ago or he not only knows how to turn on the computer, but he also knows how to find his favorite cartoons and start watching them online! (Both are from experience.)
2. I’m who? There are moments when you’re cooking dinner or cleaning bottoms (not at the same time!) when you wake up and realize, I’m the mom. These are my kids and this is my responsibility!
3. What am I doing? Auto-pilot can affect your mind, heart, and schedule. Your day starts off like any other, but soon you find yourself in the crazed middle of it, questioning how your life ended up so busy. Your mind is full of thoughts and worries that won’t stop, and your heart is burdened by too many things.
The Answers:
1 Yes, you are in unfamiliar territory. (News flash—as long as your kids grow and change you will always be in unfamiliar territory.)
2 Yes, you are the mom … even though you still feel like the thirteen year old lip singing to “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” inside.
3 Yes, auto-pilot has plopped you in the middle of the Daytona 500, but Mommy Sensibility can help. In fact a great place to start is asking this question: “What good things you can cut out to make room for the best things.”
I’d love to hear your answers!
Ha! Thanks for letting me know that I not alone. Tricia, sometimes I feel like I’m operating on ALL 3 auto pilots at the same time. In fact, right now. My answer is to stir the pot by introducing some spontaneity to our “good” routines. Those moments always produce wonderful memories where we sit back and tell great stories that start with “Remember instead of going straight home, we went…”.