The new year often brings a sense of fresh beginnings and a chance to reset, but for parents, it also marks the beginning of a season full of the unexpected. Here's a practical guide to navigating those unexpected changes to your schedule without losing your mind.

In the last two weeks, one or more of my kids have been home for a holiday, a cold day, a snow day, a positive strep throat test, and today, a terribly, obnoxious cough. Here's the step-by-step of how I go from receiving the phone call (or in my case today, hearing the cough) to getting things done and even having a little bit of fun on days when nothing looks like what I had planned.

“You’re the one who chose to have kids.”

That comment was made over the holiday weekend during a heated discussion about keeping our gathering small because of all the viruses going around our extended family.

And this person, like so many others without kids, sees kids getting sick as the parent’s problem to figure out.

When life throws us a curveball - like sick kids - the feeling of loss of control can be a bit overwhelming. Amidst putting out the fire, you may find yourself thinking “I should really be doing…” [fill in the blank with pretty much anything you have on your list of to-do’s]. A shift in your mindset during these chaotic times might be all you need to feel a bit better about your situation.