I have a confession to make. My kids ate dinner at the Little League concession stand for two days straight last week. I

Deep-fried, greasy, unhealthy food. They loved it, of course. We don’t eat a lot of fast food, so concession stand food is like Christmas for them. I momentarily worried and chastised myself for not thinking to bring healthy snacks and fruit. I had a little bit of mom guilt. Then I threw all that out the window and congratulated myself for the fact that I remembered to feed them at all.

This is a busy time of year. Field trips, Little League schedules, end-of-year parties for every activity that runs on a school year-based calendar, dance recitals, field days, prom, graduation. Just when you get through with the holidays and the whirlwind of life they bring with them, spring sneaks up on you and another loop around the crazy dance floor of parenting begins. You’re going to forget something. I am going to forget more than one something. If history has taught us anything, it will probably be one of those dang school dressup days and to sign someone’s assignment book.

I have set my alarm to be awake 30 minutes before my kids as a way to ensure we are out the door no later than 7:10 a.m. every school day since August. It doesn’t get easier, and my slacking has begun. We aren’t one of the first few cars in car line now. For all its aggravation, I am not even worried about car line anymore. Car line has already moved on by the time I round the corner to drop off, on two wheels, coming in hot to drop my kids off less than 90 seconds before the tardy bell rings.

I used to check bookbags daily. Asking questions about assignments, encouraging my kids to share what they learned on a particular topic. I asked to see homework was completed before I signed the assignment notebook. I was the mom the other moms texted when they couldn’t find a school notice or reminder. They knew I would have it hanging on my refrigerator. Not during the spring!

During the spring I check bookbags when there is a bad smell coming from them or something leaking out of them. I’m just hanging on by a thread trying to make it to the finish line.

My message this week is for all the other parents in the same boat as me. Don’t beat yourself up the next few weeks. If the kids eat concession stand food, so be it. If they eat frozen pizza twice in one week (also a regular thing at my house), so be it. If they make their own dinner, eat a bowl of cereal for dinner, or eat a later dinner, so be all of it. You’re still doing a great job.

One of my favorite reminders to myself is that our children grow up partially because of what we do and partially in spite of what we do. If the wors thing to happen to your kids this spring is a dinner of concession stand hotdogs and pretzels, but you loved on them and cheered them on at their games then you’re winning.

Extend yourself some grace, extend your kids some grace, and buckle up because the ride ain’t over yet, but summer is in sight!