Caroline Rules

From marriage dilemmas to family issues, Caroline's got the answers!

Photo by Michael T. Greco

Caroline Manzo puts the real in The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and her fans relate to the reality star's no-nonsense attitude, focus on family and, above all, abundant common sense. In this column, Caroline helps solve your most pressing dilemmas.

The Dilemma: I'm a stay-at-home mom of two who struggles every day with the notion that I don't live in the moment. I am a type A personality—I want everything to be just right. I'm too busy keeping up the house, shopping, doing laundry, getting the kids ready for all their activities, and making dinner; by the end, I'm exhausted. When I finally sit down at night, my "mother's guilt" sets in and I start thinking I could've done more with the kids: read more, done a craft, played a game, and so on. I don't want to look back in ten years and feel like I wasn't "present" for their childhood because I was too busy with nonsense. How do I let go of the unimportant stuff? —Tina

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Caroline's Ruling: I absolutely love this question! I believe wholeheartedly that as mothers we sometimes put unnecessary pressure on ourselves to be the ultimate parent.