There’s something about December that makes everything louder.

The calendar.

The kids.

The house.

The thoughts in my head at 2:17 a.m.

This morning started like most days in this season — coffee reheated twice, someone couldn’t find their shoes (they were on their feet), and I was mentally running through business emails while reminding myself to be present. Parenting after 40 means your brain has a lot of tabs open, and none of them are buffering quietly.

The kids are in full holiday mode now. Every day feels like an event. Every night feels like it should be magical. And somehow, we’re still expected to pack lunches, keep routines, and not lose our patience over glitter on the couch.

(Reader, I absolutely lost my patience over the glitter on my couch.)

And don’t even get me started on the freakin’ elf. Every night I stare at him like, What are you supposed to do today? Creative? Funny? Minimal effort but still believable? At this point, the elf’s biggest contribution is reminding me I need sleep and a project manager.

At the same time, work doesn’t slow down — it sharpens. December isn’t rest season for me; it’s reflection and alignment season. I’m closing out projects, planning what’s next, and making intentional decisions about what stays and what goes in the business. Parenting after 40 taught me that clarity matters more than hustle. I don’t want growth that costs me peace — at home or at work.

That lesson shows up everywhere.

It shows up when I say no to one more commitment because my kids need me regulated, not productive.

It shows up when I step away from my laptop to actually listen — even when the timing is inconvenient.

It shows up when I realize that success doesn’t mean doing more… it means doing what matters, consistently.

Tonight, the kids will be wound up on holiday sugar, the house will be loud again, the elf will magically move (probably onto the kitchen counter again), and the floors will still be sticky no matter how many times I mop. But I’ll also sit back and think: this is it. This season. This version of motherhood. This chapter of business. Messy, meaningful, and not meant to be rushed through.

Parenting after 40 has softened me and strengthened me at the same time. I’m more confident in who I am, more protective of my energy, and way less interested in pretending I have it all together.

I don’t.

But I do have perspective.

And honestly, that feels better.