​If you're like me, you're like most parents. I look for any quick tip to make mornings less stressful, less chaotic, and on the whole, just an all around better morning. One that will actually allow me to put on lipstick and simultaneously leave the house with a clean shirt. Even with two older boys, this is a hard feat to tackle.

I've done all the quick tips I can find. And I still try to find more. I set (or they set) out their next day's clothes the night before, we make lunches the night before, we even try -- and I say try, because most eight-year-olds don't want to take showers -- to get the kids to shower the night before.

All of this works. It's eases the morning pain, so to speak. But,there's always the unexpected events that create the tipping point for yelling, anger and a whole lot of crying (from me mostly). So, what I've come to do, the second my eyes open with the rising sun, is tell myself, "The world may fall apart, but it's how I respond that's critical. Nothing that happens this morning will alter my mood. I'm going to play it cool."

What do I mean by this? Well, exactly like it sounds. 

My son came to me the other morning with a request for help on some homework that he had forgotten to do the night before. He had all night to do this. He said he went over what was required the night before. But five minutes -- yes, five -- before we were supposed to be out the door, he's telling me he needs me to get a hold of a friend's parent to tell him the homework details. 

I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. (Okay, I did cry without him seeing me). But, while my blood pressure climbed to a level that it wasn't supposed to reach until the end of the day, I had to bite my tongue. Nothing good would come of yelling or accusing. I would accomplish nothing, other than looking like I couldn't control myself.

My son knew he was at fault. He seriously looked like a sheepish dog, one that had gotten into the garbage can with said garbage strewn about the floor. While I told him, that this was never going to happen again (him doing what he just did) I mentally put myself back into my bed from the morning and thought, Nothing is going to alter my mood. I'm responsible for my response. I will be cool.

I can't change what's in front of me, so I have to deal with it. In the right way.

I'm telling you, knowing that I could react but don't, truly made me feel ... strong. And yes, just a little bit cool. Try doing this the next time the dog eats the homework, your child spills their entire glass of milk down your shirt, or the car doesn't start. Let it go. No yelling. No cursing (audibly, anyway). No blaming.

At the end of the day, you'll be glad you didn't make a fool of yourself. And maybe, just maybe, even your kids will think you're a little bit cooler. Maybe.