I adopted a 10-year-old boy last summer. Prior to that, I used to be quite organized. But since my son moved home, I swear that I've lost my mind. I constantly forget things. And I frequently say the wrong words in a sentence. Just yesterday I drove my son to a doctor's appointment that I thought was at 4:00 ... only to find out the appointment was actually at 5:00. I thank goodness that my head is attached to my body, because otherwise I don't think I'd remember to bring it with me. Luckily, I don't think I'm alone in this mysterious affliction. Most of my friends who are moms do the same types of things so we fondly (or not-so-fondly) refer to our forgetfulness as "mommy brain."

According to this article in Prevention, our forgetfulness isn't because our kids are slowly destroying our brain cells -- it's simply because moms have more to remember. From doctor's appointments, to math tests, to wear-baseball-hat-to-school days, to sports practices, to who likes what/who doesn't like what for dinner ... we're constantly remembering all the minutiae of our family's daily lives. So what can we do to improve our memories?

• Focus. When you're busy doing 10 things at once, you're more likely to let important pieces of information go in one ear and out the other. So, if your child or spouse is telling you something you'll need to remember, focus in. You may have to pause your other activities or even tell them to talk to you about it when you're not so busy. True listening is a good first step toward remembering.
• Take care of yourself. Chris wrote a post about how exercise improves memory. It's true! So carve out time to exercise and be sure to eat healthfully and get a good night's rest. A healthy lifestyle will boost your brain power.
• Get organized. Keep one appointment book, calendar, or to-do list. Don't write things in random places because they're more likely to get lost or confusing. The author at Prevention recommends using a white board for the family schedule and have everyone take part in entering their schedule for the week. I love that idea because while (let's be honest) mom is still going to have to double-check everything, it puts the responsibility back in everyone else's court.