⚽💃📚 It’s Not That Serious: Notes from a Mom Who’s Just Trying to Keep Up

There’s this unspoken phase of motherhood that nobody warns you about. It’s not the sleepless nights. It’s not the toddler tantrums. It’s the sign-up season.

You know — the one where you suddenly realize your entire calendar has been hijacked by kid activities. Soccer, swimming, dance, tutoring, church programs, birthday parties, and whatever else they manage to hand you in a crumpled flyer at pickup.

Hi, I’m Rochelly — mom of two adorable chaos coordinators: Abigail (7) and Samuel (4).

Somewhere along the line, I blinked and became the woman who lives in her car, runs on chamomile tea and grace, and can pack a dance bag in 2.5 seconds flat.

And you know what? I’m exhausted. Grateful, yes — but exhausted.

⚽ The Soccer Mom Dream (with a Twist)

Before I ever became a mom, I used to picture myself as that soccer mom — the one with the perfect messy bun, the travel mug, and the effortlessly cool “I’ve got this” energy. You know, the one wearing heeled boots on the sidelines like it’s her runway.

Except in real life? I’m the one sprinting from the office to the field, praying I remembered snacks, water bottles, and the right shin guards. Half the time, I’m cheering for the wrong team because I showed up at the wrong field.

Still, I love it — watching them run around with those big smiles and little legs. But between soccer practices, games, and the group chats that never end, it starts to feel like a part-time job.

🏊🏽‍♀️ Swimming Lessons and Scheduling Survival

The one thing their dad and I actually agree on is swimming. He’s an incredible swimmer. I, on the other hand, can “not drown.” That’s my level. 😂

So when we split, swimming was non-negotiable. Abigail started when she was two, and Samuel practically had water wings before he could walk. Every Wednesday, it’s the same routine: swimsuit, snacks, towels, rush.

And here’s the thing — I get it. These activities are supposed to build discipline, confidence, and teamwork. But let’s be real — for parents, it mostly builds traffic anxiety and a lifelong relationship with Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thrus.

💃 The Hip-Hop Phase

Then there’s dance. Oh, dance.

At some point, “let’s try something fun!” turned into every Thursday, forever. And honestly, I love watching them dance. Abigail’s got rhythm for days, and Samuel’s the class clown who somehow ends up in the front row every time.

But let me tell you — finding clean black sneakers, the right-size sweatpants, and keeping up with recital costumes might be my Olympic sport.

Sometimes, when I’m sitting in the waiting room scrolling through work emails, I look at the other parents and wonder if anyone else feels this weird mix of pride and panic. Like — I’m so proud they’re thriving… but also, do we really need to thrive every single night of the week?

🕊 The Church Nights and Little Miracles

Friday nights are for Awana, which has been a constant since Abigail was two. It started with little Zoom Bible lessons during COVID and grew into this beautiful community. Now both kids go — and I even volunteer.

We call Awana, la Santa locura but I love that it grounds them. That in between all the chaos, there’s this pocket of jumping and bubbly kids every Friday night — where they’re learning about faith, kindness, and how to be little humans with big hearts.

But by the time Friday night rolls around? I’m running on fumes and Jesus. Every week, I tell myself, “Next Friday, I’m just going to rest.”Every week, I still end up there — smiling, laughing, and probably covered in glue from some craft project gone wrong.

And maybe that’s the point.

😅 When “Enrichment” Becomes Exhaustion

If you’ve ever had kids in activities, you know that the line between “enrichment” and “exhaustion” is paper thin.

I get it — we all want our kids to have opportunities we didn’t. But somewhere between piano, soccer, swimming, tutoring, and dance, it starts to feel like we’re the ones being tested.

And honestly? I think sometimes it’s okay to just… not. It’s okay to say, “You know what, maybe this season we’ll skip something. ”Because joy doesn’t live in the sign-up forms — it’s in the little in-between moments. It’s in car sing-alongs, spontaneous park trips, bedtime stories, and days when no one has to rush.

🤝 Co-Parenting and Compromise

When you co-parent, everything becomes a negotiation. Schedules, holidays, activities — you name it.

And while we don’t always agree, I’ve learned to pick my battles. He loves the structure, the routine, the “every-day-is-an-activity” mindset. I love the downtime, the slow mornings, the random “let’s bake cookies” nights.

So we meet in the middle — or at least we try. Because at the end of the day, what matters is that the kids are happy, healthy, and growing up with memories they’ll actually remember.

🧺 The Never-Ending To-Do List

People don’t talk enough about the logistics of all this. Every activity has a bag. Every bag has a uniform. Every uniform has a laundry cycle that you will absolutely forget about until 10 minutes before practice.

And heaven forbid you mix up soccer socks with dance tights. That’s a household meltdown waiting to happen.

Some weeks I’m organized, some weeks I’m winging it. And every week, I’m learning that perfection is not the goal — presence is.

🌿 Let Them Be Kids (and Let Us Be Human)

Here’s what I keep reminding myself: my kids are 7 and 4.They don’t need résumés yet. They need rest, laughter, mud puddles, and time to just be.

We live in a world that sells us the lie that our kids need to be constantly improving — as if childhood were a competition instead of a chapter.

And I’m not signing up for that anymore.

So yes, we’ll do sports and dance and swimming — but we’ll also do lazy Saturdays, messy art days, and movie nights with popcorn for dinner. Because the goal isn’t to raise the busiest kids in town — it’s to raise joyful ones.

☕ Grace for the Moms Who Are Tired

If you’re reading this and you’re overwhelmed, I get it. If you’re secretly hoping one of their classes gets canceled this week — same. 😂

You’re not failing. You’re just full — full of love, responsibility, and effort. And sometimes, the most loving thing you can do is slow down.

Our kids don’t need perfect parents. They need present ones. The kind that show up tired but smiling. The kind that pray for strength and laugh anyway.

💛 Finding Joy in the Overwhelm

Being a mom today means living in the tension — wanting to give your kids everything, while realizing you are the everything they need most.

It means saying yes to memories, no to guilt, and maybe next week to anything that doesn’t bring peace.

So here’s to the moms in the carpool lane, the dads on the sidelines, and everyone just trying to make it through another round of sign-ups without losing their minds.

May we remember: We don’t have to do it all to give our kids a good life. We just have to love them well — even in the chaos.

Because at the end of the day, the real extracurricular lesson might just be this: Joy isn’t found in a packed schedule. It’s found in the pause between pickups. 🌿

💜 — Rochelly