As in many households, my husband and I divide the tasks needed to keep the home running. While we definitely have the odd disagreement about who does what, we generally play to our strengths and take on the jobs we tend to be better at.

For instance, I’m in charge of the morning routine. I can put Elle’s hair in ponytails faster than you can say “Ouch, Mom! You’re pulling my hair!”, but ask my husband to do it, and she walks out of the bathroom looking like an science experiment. On the flip side, my husband is remarkable at convincing my son to brush his teeth at night, but ask me to do it, and I emerge from the scene with an irate toddler and half-bitten fingers (mine). Everyone is better off when we play to our strengths: Elle’s hair looks presentable and Max’s teeth are brushed.

The problem is that, like most moms, I think that I have strengths in MORE parenting areas than my husband…and so I’m a bit hard on him when things aren’t running “my way.”

I recently came home one afternoon to find my hubby and kids splayed out on the couch, eating cookies (usually reserved for treats) watching football, and found out that lunch consisted of a couple chocolate granola bars. I knew that if I had been in charge, lunch would have been healthier and the kids would already be down for their naps. But as my kids were yelling “Touchdown!” and having a blast, I had to admit, “Is it really going to kill them to have a few cookies and nap an hour later?”

So, part of my delayed New Year’s resolution is to learn to “let go” a bit more and to be more mindful about my parenting strengths versus my husband’s. For example, in my house, there is a game where children are picked up like footballs, run across the room and deposited with a thump on the couch like touchdowns across goal lines. While I brace for the sound of crying, the thump is inevitably followed by belly-filled laughter and the refrain, "Again, Daddy!"

I tried to get in on this action once, but weighing 100 lbs and weaker than I ought to be, I wasn’t able to get enough air and my football play turned out to be more like half-dragging my kids across the rug toward the goal line. When I finally deposited my son onto the couch, my efforts were met with a furrowed brow, a pause and then a simple request: "Daddy do it?"

There are other things my husband excels at. He’s extremely patient when disciplining the kids and can impressively talk my 4-year old down from a tantrum while I’m desperately searching for a corner to give myself a time-out. He can mobilize the kids into their car-seats faster than you can say, “Are we there yet?” and he makes a mean French toast (and then chuckles, rather than freaks out, as he cleans up the syrup that Elle accidentally spilled all over the kitchen floor.)

So my goal is to simply be more mindful of what my strengths are versus his, and to recognize that both approaches benefit my kids… There is only one area that my husband and I always insist that the other person is better at: cleaning the tub!

What is your parenting strength? What are you best at?