The Christmas season is approaching fast. Everywhere I look, there is an advent calendar to do with your kids, or a post about DIY Christmas activities to do with a toddler. They look awesome and so incredibly fun! That is, until you sit down and try to do them.

The truth is, I am not a Pinterest Mom.

I wish that I was. I see the fun activities and I want to do them with my littles. But I’m also a working mom. I have a full time job, I run my own business, I’m in school, and my husband works third shift so I am frequently handling the kids on my own at night and on the weekends.

In reality, I’m exhausted by the time I get home.

Now if that wasn’t enough, I also have a “perfectionist” personality. This has taken me four years to turn off when it comes to doing projects with my kids and let’s be honest, I am still very much working on it. If I hand them some paint and art supplies and let them just go to town, I am perfectly content and carefree to let them do their own thing. But the second it turns into a project that is supposed to turn out a certain way, my anxiety goes through the roof. I immediately want to take over the project while they “help” me.

So I am not a Pinterest mom, but that doesn’t stop me. Because if I can say one thing, it’s not that I don’t try, it’s that I’m plain old exhausted most days.

So what do I do to still do fun projects with my kids while letting it still be fun?

First off, I make a plan.

I learned early on that if I have things set up and planned out ahead of time, then the projects will move a lot smoother. I make piles of like things and sometimes I even make an example of ahead of time. That way I can set the example in front of my littles and say “okay what’s missing on yours??” By staying a step ahead, you can manage to stay out of the stress trap a little easier.

I give myself grace.

If you are anything like me, then your bucket is probably overflowing with all the things that need to get done. You won’t be able to meet all those needs every single day. So when it doesn’t go right, give yourself some grace.

I remember that the need to be in control causes stress.

Attempting to be in control all the time can be exhausting. It can become even more exhausting when your trying to control toddlers. When a project doesn’t go as planned, or you don’t get to do something you were excited about trying, instead of letting it ruin your day, embrace the chaos. Roll with the unpredictability. Kids are great at shaking things up, and the sooner you learn to roll with it, the sooner you will be less stressed.

I may not be a Pinterest mom who has it all together, but what I fail to remember sometimes is that if you ask my kids about the same exact project I was thinking was a flop, they are going to talk about how fun it was. Littles just want you to spend time with them, that’s all they’re asking for. That time doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t have to be Pinterest worthy. It just needs to be with you!