Scheduling me

Now that I've discovered my wonderful salt water swimming pool I am eager to get there on a regular basis, but my family isn't as eager for me to have any time to myself. And that's fair - I still have 5 teens at home and they have sports activities and jobs; and, since they're not yet driving, I'm the chauffeur. I don't mind that, but it sure gets in the way of fitting in that weekend swim time along with house cleaning, laundry, dog walking, banking, and all the other stuff that all working parents have to fit into those two days a week.

What's new about that? Well, I've set some limits - either they let me know ahead of time so I can work out my swim time, or there won't be a ride. I know that to some of you that sounds simple to do - but my teens have emotional dysregulation and we live a life of chronic conflict, so anytime they don't get to have things their way, the raging begins. Like many Hazardous Parents, I so desperately want to support anything they do that is healthy, and I also don't want to provoke a rage, that I put my needs at the bottom of the pile and watch weekend after weekend float by without me doing anything healthy for myself.

Well, my littles are now not- so -littles and I feel I can let them rage without worrying about the damage their tempers do to those who are either the targets (usually me) or the observers. So, I have become the Queen of Disengagers. I practice what I preach in my 4 Step C.A.R.E. Method book and as soon the rage begins, I take an emotional step out and start packing my bathing suit and they can walk, take a bus, or ride the flames of their rage to wherever they have to go - I'll be at the pool.

So, if you have the time or the inclination, please check out my Hazardous Parenting facebook page, or my new blog.

Hey, remember my friends, you are entitled to a better day.

And, here's a great recipe for a pre- swim snack that won't add too many calories but will provide some energy. I got this from the No Meat Athlete  I get a lot of recipes from this site and they are great. This one takes a bit more work than the simple recipes I usually use but I make a lot at once and freeze them so its worth the time and number of ingredients.

The “dry” Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup oats
1 cup Grape Nuts cereal
3/4 cup raisins 
1 cup shredded coconut 
1/3 cup unsalted almonds, chopped
1/3 cup unsalted cashews, chopped
1 cinnamon stick, ground (or 2 tsp ground, but I totally recommend the taste of freshly ground!)

The “wet” ingredients:
2 tbs flax seed
1/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups cooked Great Northern Beans (or 1 15 oz can)
15 dates, seeds removed and chopped (about 1 cup or 1/2 a lb)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbs honey
1 tbs canola oil
1/2 cup applesauce

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

- See more at: http://www.nomeatathlete.com/homemade-energy-bars/#sthash.No5tKYcF.dpuf