Q: I would like a less complicated life. I don't think it's possible though ...

I work full time. I have three children, ages 11 months, 3 years and 9 years. All of my children go to daycare full-time during the summer. My 9-year-old goes to school from 8:00 until 3:00 and daycare after school. My 3-year-old will start preschool this year and go to school on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8:30 until 11:00. After school she will go to daycare. I have hired someone to pick my children up after school and take them to daycare.

In the morning, I have to get up at 5:30 am at the latest in order to get myself and the kids ready and out the door by 6:30. We live 40 miles from where we work, go to school and daycare. With gas as expensive as it is, my husband and I have started riding together to save money. Our commute is an hour one way. So, we drop the kids at daycare, then school, then my husband drops me off at my office and he then goes to his. On preschool days, we drop my son at daycare, my older daughter at school, I then drop my husband off at his office, go back to school to drop off my younger daughter and then I go to work. After work we go through the same routine except we only have to make one stop to pick up all of the kids.

In addition, I have to fit in working out six days a week, I take a college course from 5:45 pm until 10:00 pm on Tuesdays, I am the leader of my oldest daughter's girl scout troop and we meet every other Monday after school. A friend of mine wants me to take a sewing class with her on Wednesday evenings. I would love to do it, but don't think I can fit it in. I have to do the laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc. My husband helps some, but is not very understanding when it comes to me wanting to allow the kids to participate in extra activities i.e. music lessons, dance lessons, swimming, etc.

Is there any hope?

A: Yes, there is hope, but that hope isn't going to come riding in on a white horse, or in a book. YOU ARE YOUR ONLY HOPE. You have got to decide what's the most important and I'll give you a hint: NOT EVERYTHING is important.

You and your husband have crafted for yourselves a ridiculously complicated life around what you believe is the perfect suburban home with children. While you are doggedly in pursuit of it, you've carved out no time for yourselves except a college course and working out. Guess what? Those activities are NOT FUN! They're just more work. You are caught in this loop of overachievement and perfection that will bring you a sad detachment from your loved ones and friends.

You and your husband must pick the three most important things for you both. And then you must use them to decide the schedules and commutes and extra-curricular activities. It is this easy. As much as you are your only hope, you are also your only obstacle. So get out of your way.

Q: Hi, my name is Tina. I am a single mother of three: 6-year-old, 22 months, 10 months. I work out three times a week for an hour. I have changed my diet so much that I only eat junk food when cooking dinner cuts into my time with my children, and even then it's a side salad or a chicken wrap. We take evening strolls after dinner, but I still am overweight by at least 40 pounds. What can I do to help myself be fit for me and my kids? I want to be able to keep up with them better.

A: How about this simple fix: only eat what you want to feed your kids, and then build your meals in the day upon one meal that you can all eat and get nutrition from. You want them to eat fresh vegetables, lean proteins and complex carbs. You don't want them eating sugar and fat. You don't want them feeding on junk.