I'm 57 and helping raise my 6 grandchildren in a crowded multigenerational home. I thought my life would be easier by now.

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• I live with my daughter and my grandchildren, which means I take care of the kids most days.
• I thought I would be the fun, relaxed Grandma, but I'm responsible for most household needs.
• Sometimes the weight of it all gets to me, but I've made changes to my lifestyle to make it easier.

I turned 57 this year. I always thought that by this point in my life, I would be taking bucket-list trips, tending a garden, and writing the novel I've always known was in me.