Being a full time wife and mother has stressful demands, and stress is a major part of my life.

As if being a wife is not stressful enough; what with keeping up with your husband's needs and wants; try being a mother to a 6 year old daughter, who never seems to run out of questions and stories that she'd like to share with you, and a 2 month old son who gets querulous at the slightest disturbance of his comfort. There are also some dishes to be done, laundry to be washed and clothes to be folded, and don't forget about sweeping the floor, dusting dusty furniture and appliances and watering the plants. Sometimes I feel like the day goes on forever.

Being a wife and a mother certainly makes even the toughest of jobs seem like a walk in the park. No wonder more women of today prefer to have a career other than be a wife and a mother. Aside from requiring both mental and physical skills, it also demands emotional strength.

Being a wife is easier than being a mother, atleast for me it is. My husband is sensitive to my needs and he comes to my aid whenever I need him. I guess I'm lucky that way, because even after a tiring day at work, he makes sure I get a break from the kids, even if it's just an hour or so. I only have 2 kids and I get stressed out, what more for those people who have more than 2, I salute them for being able to care for all their children and still have time for themselves. Motherhood is indeed the toughest of jobs.

Nobody ever said that being a mother would be easy. I guess that's why bringing a child into the world hurts so much for the woman (I mean physically), I guess it's God's way of preparing the woman for what has yet to come, raising a child. Teaching a child right from wrong, setting a good example for them to emulate and equiping them with just the right amount of common sense and emotional security, and basically just molding them into becoming the good person that they are meant to be is not an easy thing to do, for anybody, but it is the primary objective of every parent, more so for the mother.

For me, I find that the best way for me to cope with stress is just to love every tiring moment. That's what I do, and no matter how stressful a day becomes, I know that in the end, I've done a pretty darn good job.

Loving your job is a first step into coping with stress, I believe that if you love your job enough, you will not be able to feel as much stress as you would if you hated your job.

Having a sense of self-accomplishment is certainly something that you should have if you want to be able to steer clear of stress.

Stress can either be physical or mental, both can lead to serious health problems. However, if you love what you're doing, stress shouldn't be a problem. Sometimes we need a little stress to remind us to slow down and not over-work ourselves.

If you're like most people who have jobs, just for the sake of it, or just because you're in it financially, here are a few suggestions to help you cope with stress. I was a college student when my daughter was only 2 years old, and I've done these things, so I know it works great to relieve stress.

1. Have a quiet or an alone time. Even if it's just for an hour, silence can pacify any stressful day, spend this time reflecting on your day, or just find something to do that relaxes you. I spend my quiet time reading from my favorite book, because I find that relaxing.

2. Get adequate sleep. If you are well rested, you won't be stressed out very easily. Avoid staying up too late.

3. Eat healthy. Eating healthy food not only energizes your body, it helps you cope with the things that you need to do without your body exerting too much effort. Avoid excessive consumption of sweets or caffeine, because these will only give you a few minutes of energy boost so when it wears off you consume more, it's very addicting, especially caffeine, but the more you consume it, the more stressed out you feel afterwards.

4. Drink lots of water.

5. Take good care of yourself. No matter how demanding a job is (or your boss), don't forget to take a break. There's no sense in over-exerting yourself, once you're stressed, the more your performance will be less than average.

6. Adjust your attitude. Psych yourself up, do your best to make yourself believe that you are loving what you're doing.

7. If all else fails, ask for help. It never hurts to ask for somebody's help, when I was in college and I had to take care of my daughter and study for an exam at the same time, I asked my husband to help me with the household chores for a while so I can review and take care of my daughter, I got through college fine, and I was almost never stressed out.

Although being a mother can be stressful sometimes, if not all the time, I love it, and I wouldn't change careers, even if I was given the best incentives or the highest of salaries. There is no greater reward than seeing your children grow into the beautiful person that you dreamed they would be.

I've gotten so many rewards from my daughter, numerous "firsts' in her life, like the first time she smiled, laughed, cried because she was in pain or somebody hurt her feelings. Moments that come only once in her entire life, being a part of it, seeing it, I wouldn't trade it for anything.

My daughter is now 6 years old, and she is a handful, every kid is, but she does make me happy in ways no other person can. Now that she has a 2 month old brother, it would be amazing to see how she will be as a big sister. And although children grow up to be adults, a mother's job is never done.