Reminder: you don’t gotta do it all

My uncle, cousin, and cousin’s daughter have been up visiting from Texas since last Thursday.

My cousin’s daughter, AJ, is the same age as my youngest. They have spent almost every waking hour together since last Friday afternoon.

They’ve gotten pretty close and very comfortable. They’re like sister-cousins.

Last night AJ slept over at our house.

This afternoon the girls wanted to make some cookies.

I told them to have at it.

AJ wanted a drink of milk first.

Number 7 said, “Okay, get yourself a cup and get the milk, and get a drink.”

Most of us would get our guest the drink, but the sister-cousin thing kinda put AJ out of the “guest” category and into the sibling category. At least in Number 7’s eyes.

And Number 7 doesn’t usually get drinks for her siblings.

Here’s what I found to be interesting.

My automatic reaction would have been to get a drink for AJ.

And yeah, it would have been a nice thing of me to do, but it’s not necessary.

AJ is perfectly capable of getting her own drink.

It can be so easy for me, and I think for many women – and mothers – in general, to automatically do things for other people.

And when we get into a habit of doing that over and over and over again, that’s when we start neglecting ourselves.

And then we get tired and frustrated and worn down and pissed off.

And then we explode.

So maybe we can all take a page out of Number 7’s book.

Maybe (especially if you’re feeling like you’re constantly stretched way too thin) the next time someone tells you they want something, you direct them to where the stuff they need is.

And then instead of doing it for them, you simply let them do it for themselves.

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