At what point do we realize that we *can't* do this? When we collapse from exhaustion? When we actively look elsewhere to fulfill certain needs? When we climb a clocktower with a sniper rifle? I am being facetious, but sometimes it feels that way. Thank goodness for this forum, I do believe it saves lives. I want to go do something for myself, but today is my older boy's birthday. He is 6 today, and we are taking him to Chuckey Cheese for his birthday dinner, so I have to go play happy family.
Knowing when is a tough one, and I don't have an answer for it, other than you will know when you get there.
I can relate to the happy family thing. It's a lot easier now (esp. b/c W is warming up), but initially, it was during my S's baseball season, and going to games with her was one of the hardest things I had to do. To the outside world (then and now), we were just one big happy family.
Someone a while back posted his favorite saying when dealing with this. It comes from "The Penguins of Madagascar," which is a pretty funny show (since you have kids, you might know it): "Smile and wave boys, just smile and wave."
