The weeknight hours between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. can feel longer than an entire work day. Kids are picked up and washed up, car is unloaded, dinner is made, dinner is served, homework is completed, reading is finished, they’ve burned off some steam outdoors, showers are taken, they’re winding down for the night, dishes are done, lunches are packed, clothes are laid out and the battle for bedtime commences—when of course they’re suddenly starving. When they’re finally off to sleep (sometimes hours after bedtime commenced), I feel such a great sense of accomplishment from conquering my way through this daily nighttime stretch. I feel exhausted from the long night—every night—but I also feel rewarded to know I’m leading this pack. And it’s a good thing, because I get to do it all over again tomorrow!