We have all seen the cliché of the worn out Mom with kids running around, or how moms need so much coffee and wine. I mean she is just sitting around the house in her pajamas watching her own kids, what is so exhausting about that!?!?
I believe the reason is decision fatigue. In case this is a new term to you, it is a concept that you only have so many good decisions a day to make. After that your brain gets worn out. Ever hear how Steve Jobs wore the same exact thing every day, it’s because he knew about decision fatigue, and it is one less decision to make.
When you spend your whole day with small children you have to make every single decision for them. If you have more than one kid, just multiply that. From what they are to wear, to what and when they can eat, if they can play certain games, and so on. And let’s be honest it is not just the decision, but then the fight about it and enforcing that decision, and it’s over every single detail!!! I mean why can’t you just put your shoes on for crying out loud!
There are so many things in our adult lives that we don’t ever go through the decision process in our brains for; we are just on auto pilot. Not so for kids, they ask you everything!!!! I also believe it is a reason why kids have boundless energy; they make no decisions for themselves so their brains never get decision fatigue at this age.
My kids are wonderful and have very good manners, but they ask for everything! My kids will ask for a snack, I make the decision and say yes. Then they ask for a specific snack, I once again make the decision of yes. They then ask me if they can have it now… WTF!!! That is three decisions for just a snack! By the way, I have two kids and they will ask the same exact question as their sibling because they need the answer again, just for them. So that makes six decisions just for one of the many snacks that will be had in a day. Just think, Steve Jobs didn’t even want to waste one decision on his clothes.
So next time you see a worn out mother barley making through the store in her pajamas, please have some sympathy for her poor tired brain, and all of the decisions that went into just getting to the store.
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Until next time, keep the sunshine in your heart and pottery on your table.
Lindsay Klix
Off Your Rocker Pottery