How To Be The Coolest Mom

Alternate titles: "I've Completely Given Up" or "You Try Having An Extra Long Weekend And NOT Lose Your Mind."

So how do you survive with restless kids, knowing they're sick of being stuck with you through the long "Fall Break" weekend, with no reinforcements (because your husband is gone on yet another business trip)? Declare today PAJAMA DAY! You, too, can keep them in awe all day in Ten Easy Steps!

Step 1: Tell them the night before to choose their pjs carefully because the next day is PAJAMA DAY (and yes, always say it in all-caps...it's more festive) and they get to stay in jammies all day.

Step 2: Answer no more questions, say they'll have to wait until tomorrow to see how awesome it will be (because really? you have no clue what you're doing).

Step 3: Let them eat their nasty, sugar-laden cereal but then! Give them chocolate milk, too, for No. Good. Reason. They didn't even make their beds but look! It's chocolate milk for breakfast! Mom is soooooo cool!

Step 4: Dance with joy when you get to skip the "Get your naked bottom off my couch and get dressed right now!" argument.

Step 5: Wonder what you were thinking when they lay around like slugs all day, whether or not the tv is on.

Step 6: Get an over-due notice from the library and declare that they get to go outside in their pajamas!

Step 7: Bask in the glory of their admiration...until they start fighting over whose turn it is to open the garage door.

Step 8: Take them to the public library. Ignore all the puzzled looks from the patrons when its obvious that not only are your children still in pajamas, but so are you. Watch them notice your obviously pregnant belly and then see the understanding spread.

Step 9: Let them watch every annoying movie they want (while you hide upstairs and read blogs) because there's nothing more fun than watching a movie on PAJAMA DAY! Try not to notice them begin to roll their eyes at your exuberance.

Step 10: No arguing at bedtime because, hey! They're already dressed! Let them bounce off the walls from eating all the Halloween candy their grandma sent them and then look for signs of a sugar crash to determine bedtime.