When those you depended on, depend on you...

Recently, we found ourselves in a different phase of life. Although we are still right in the middle of the child raising phase, we also find ourselves taking care of aging relatives. Each of these phases have their own moments of exhaustion and maybe even overwhelm. Together, it seems these feelings come more often and closer together.

I was raised with a pretty good understanding of what it meant to raise a family. Certain responsibilities that would be added to your plate. Things you could prepare for and learn.

This by no means should lead you to believe I know what I'm doing most the time:) However, in theory, the majority of daily activities and responsibilities weren't a surprise.

Never did I ever imagine a time when parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles would get to the place where they would need me to help them. How do you prepare for that?

Sometimes, you don't even see it coming and something happens that makes you realize you are needed.

Being a teacher for half my adult life, gave me the skills to help them find ways to do things they haven't had to do before. What do you do when they won't or can't? I have no answers.

Have you been through this? What are some things you find helpful?

Things I struggle with are balancing fixing the problem and assuring them that the problem can be fixed and doesn't need to be worried over. This seems increasingly difficult if it is small in my mind or something that doesn't seem urgent. Or even if it needs to be accomplished but I simply don't have the time to do something about it immediately.

How do you balance all of this with your current responsibilities?

Theoretically, I know I can't do everything and even I have to ask for help. So, here I am asking YOU. What have you found helps you in these times?

I wouldn't change things. God has given us strength to do more than we thought possible. Maybe I need to give myself more GRACE, but organizing my thoughts about the matter, helps me not feel so overwhelmed when it all comes at me at once.

Things that have helped so far:

• Scheduling time to focus on them in THEIR environment

• Keeping expectations manageable for what items are COMPLETED

• Leaving them with things to do or that REMIND them I've been there until the next time

Send your thoughts over. I will read them all!