Hello! I'm new to this forum, and hope to learn from other moms who post their thoughts, ideas, and parenting tips. I'm married; two boys (1st grade & 6th grade); work 25 to 30 hours a week as the case coordinator/database manager for a non-profit organization in Raleigh that provides assessment and monitoring for the NC Medical Board of physicians and PA's with substance abuse and other work-related problems such as being accused of sexual harassment or anger-management issues. I have found (I think) a good balance between the demands of my career and parenting. My schedule allows me to work while my children are in school, and gives me some flexibility to work a "compressed" schedule during the summer (both are on a traditional calendar). I would love to know what other moms "let go" and what they deem most important. For instance, I tend to let laundry "go" until we literally have no clean clothes to wear...but I find it incredibly important to have dinner together as a family every night. I also refuse to live in a dirty house and have been known to dust and clean bathrooms at midnight...I can't stand clutter and dust. I let our YMCA membership "go" because we never used the pool, and I only found time to work out two or three times a month. My husband and I also decided to limit our children's activities to one sport (at a time) and one church or "arts related" activity a week such as music or art lessons. However, I have felt guilty at times when friends mention all the activities their children are involved in. Are mine missing out by JUST playing soccer this spring?? Is my youngest being deprived because we said "no" to art lessons this summer???