Mothering is a full-time and demanding occupation no matter what else fills your life. While most of us start out totally in love with our kids, the day comes for many of us when we are just plain tired of being on call 24/7. Some days the responsibilities can seem overwhelming.

When that happens there are some important steps you can take to revitalize your energy and put the snap back into your parenting. I've been mothering for over twenty-six years and here are my tried-and-true tips for keeping being-the-mom FUN.

1. Stay on top of the parenting.

There's an old saying...if mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. It's the truth. We moms set the tone in our homes. That's why staying in charge of the mothering game is so important. Our kids take their emotional cues from us. If the kids are running the show, we've lost as parents, but more importantly, our kids have lost, too. There's a reason they're the kids and we're the parents!

If discipline is a problem in your home, get help. Read books, take seminars, find mentors, get professional assistance. Do whatever it takes to get in charge of your home again. A happy, healthy home is a joyous place when everyone experiences the satisfaction of pulling together and being valued.

2. Get organized.

It's extremely difficult to enjoy your vocation as mom if you're stressed from top to bottom. A great amount of family stress is caused by disorganization. Please do not confuse this tip with perfectionism!

Getting organized in a family means mom knows who is doing what and when. She knows where stuff is and she can lay her hands on it in a matter of seconds. It means everyone is on the same page and working together.

Experiment with different organizing systems until you find what works for your style of mothering. You'll probably have to keep tweaking it over time as your children grow and change. That's fine. When you're not stressing over being late for school (and work) and you know everyone knows where they're going each day and has what they need to succeed, you can relax a bunch and ENJOY the terrific kids in your home.

Enjoying your kids. Wouldn't that feel great?

3. One more massage.

Self-care is the hot buzz-word for women these days. But how many of us actually practice what we preach?

Look your sweet children in the face and tell them that Mommy needs twenty minutes to go read a book in silence and that's how we take care of Mom. Just like when Johnny needed to go to soccer practice, we took him and that's how we took care of Johnny. Get the picture? Remember, balance is key. In order to give or serve, we must refill.

This is also an important lesson for your children to learn. Life is not all about them! It's about all of us pulling together each day for the common good as well as for each other. Watching mama practice self-care helps a family learn this powerful lesson in a practical way.

Keeping mothering fun means practicing parenting skills that work in our families, household organization that keeps our days running smoothly and self-care that refreshes us so we can give of our best.

Keep it focused, keep it simple and fall in love with your kids all over again.