Women are often some of the busiest people on the planet - caring for older parents, neighbors and children. Often, they are quietly picking up the pieces of projects that have fallen apart or simply through the cracks. Sometimes, incidents as simple as stepping in the dog's dish can annoy the heck out of the most sane person, just because it feels like the last straw.

The remedy to maintaining sanity is reframing, or seeing those annoying moments in a new light. Often, by imagining a frustrating scene as one in a comedy act, it turns the moment into laughter-provoking memories for years to come.

Here's an example, a true story from the days when my kids were toddlers.

One morning when I was particularly tired, I sat down on my daughter's bed, tucked each child next to me and began reading a stack of our favorite children's books. In th cozy, quiet warmth, I fell asleep without realizing it. I awoke with a start and found that I was alone on the bed. After reassuring myself that the house was toddler-proof and that no one could get hurt, I hurried toward a portion of the house connecting the family room, eating and kitchen.

As I stepped into the hallway, I was greeted by a sea of Cheerios. The contents of an economy-sized cereal box were strewn across every inch of the hall, the family room and the eating area. My children were sitting joyfuly in th midst of the mess, picking Cheerios off the floor and eating them, one by one.

My initial reaction was nearly panic. Besides feeling rather annoyed that there was yet one more mess to clean up and my kids were eating off the floor, I was upset because a worker (whom I had assured that I kept a clean house) was due to arrive momentarily to find out why ants were coming into the family room.

As calmly as possible, I asked my children what had happened. They happily explaind that first they were Hansel and Gretel, who had left a trail of bread crumbs. Then they had become birds and they were eating the crumbs. Their delight over the situation was apparent.

It was clear to me that they had grasped and understood a story we had read together. It was then that I realized that it was my actions - not theirs - that would continue to make this a positive situation for them and a better one for me, or create an unhappy ending for all of us.

Rather than seeing this as another mess to clean up, I saw it as a moment for humor. I grabbed my camera, photographed the sea of Cheerios and mailed the picture with the tale of her grandchildren's antics to my mother. More than a decade later, this story has become part of our family's history, a legend of the funny things the kids did when they were little. It has been repeated in our children's English compositions and a photo remains in the family album.

This situation and the story helped us define who we are in relationship to each other. We are not housekeeper and mess-makers, nor rivals on opposites sides. We are mother and children; we are companions who can laugh.

For more discussion about how reframing - or seeing through different eyes - can help moms successfully navigate parenthood, please join me for a three-part program called "Seven Gems: Creating the Life of Your Dreams" at Momference. This brand new virtual conference features 50 experts, 6 days and one life-changing event that will help moms connect with other moms and achieve the lives they want without leaving the office or the house. For more information or to register, click here: http://www.profcs.com/app/?af=647599.