11/1/2022 Divide and Conquer!

Lacie Rothrock
Nov 1, 2022
3 min read

Updated: Nov 15, 2022

Splitting time between two activities and two kids!

As most of you know, if you have read my previous posts, our family life is pretty crazy and busy and a lot of our time is consumed with competition dance, taxing children around, or just trying to make it somewhere on time. I feel like I have talked about some of our tricks and trip for making a DANCE competition season successful, but there is more to our family dynamics and craziness. My son is a competitive gymnast.

He used to do competition dance, but decided the stage was not for him, he just enjoyed doing dance for the fun of it. To top off him currently on a competitive gymnastic team, and he also plays soccer. He used to play baseball but also took a step back from that, as being a left-handed batter proved to be difficult for the younger age. It was one of those, he makes it on base every time but not because he got to hit the ball but because the ball hit him. Doesn't make for a fun game of ball if you ask me.

At one point in time, we had our daughter who has always been full force competition dancer and dance-related stuff, and then my son played soccer, baseball, competition dance, AND guitar lessons all at the same time. We somehow made it work but boy I'm not sure how we managed (or how I ever saw my husband hahaha). We now have it paired down to just the competition gymnastic, and soccer, and then he transitioned to guitar lessons at the art school he attends.

Considering BOTH of our kids do competitive sports, they are both required to travel. We are lucky that his travel is not as intensive and most of the time we don't have any conflicting double-booked weekends. We are pretty lucky being that most of the gym meets are only one day, whereas dance competitions are often multi-day events.

We pretty much have it figured out that Dad handles gym-related stuff (when I'm not available), and I handle studio-related stuff. Most of the time it's either myself or grandma (my mom) that does evening soccer. All of us try to make all of the games and competitions for both kids equally (except for nationals for dance because we try to keep costs down when traveling for a long amount of time). For the most part, we are all able to do so.

We do have one weekend where both kids are competing but I will be able to drive from our daughter's competition to our son's meet. It will only be about a 1.5-hour drive for me, so not too bad. There is only one weekend where both our kids are both at competitions this season and we won't be able to attend them both as they are pretty far from each other. When we run into this, we divide and conquer. Dad takes him to the gym meet and ill take her to the dance comp.

I know, personally, as a mom, I HATE missing any important moments for either of my kids. This is the first year I've had to accept that I can't be in two places at once, but boy do I try. I've learned it's okay to rely on others to help you. There is no way that we would be able to let the kids do the activities they want to the fullest if it wasn't for the amazing village we have.

As most of you know, my husband works nights, I work during the day, and then 3 evenings at my second job on top of that, as well as being in the last semester of my master's degree. We both, my husband and I, rely a lot on my mother for help. Even if it is picking up one kid while a parent is dropping another off. Sometimes she will pick up our daughter from dance so that I can stay and watch the rest of a soccer game and be a present mother. She also makes sure our son gets dinner and is off to bed on time in the evenings when I am working late. She is an integral part of our little triad.

I guess this post serves as a dual message.

1) It's ok to not be able to do everything by yourself. If you are lucky enough to have a village, use it.

2) Thanks to my husband AND my mom. Without the two of you, things would not be possible.