The Secrets of a "Go To Mom"

I very rarely get to hang my hat on the "experienced parent" peg.  I have never been the mom with a magical bag of tricks that can soothe a teething toddler, bandage a skinned knee, wipe a runny nose or quickly ease the hunger pangs of a teenager with my extra granola bars and package of cheese crackers.  I am the mom scrambling to find a still wet "Wet One" in the cushions of my backseat and rushing back home from baseball practice to retrieve the water bottle I left in the refrigerator.  

We all know those moms who never forget a practice, are never late with their field trip permission slips and who always seem to have a spare Band-Aid or Kleenex in their bag.  I used to be envious of their perfectly scheduled calendars and clean car interiors and would spend countless hours trying to discover the secret to being a "go to mom."  Did they take classes on how to color-code kid programs and sporting events?  Was there a secret document that clearly outlined the steps to take to get into the right camps?  How did they always seem to know exactly what to do--and more importantly, what to expect?

I have come to embrace my laid-back parenting style and am content not being the "go to mom." Then it happened.  My youngest entered kindergarten--and because I had been down the kindergarten road two times before--I was starting to become the "go to mom."  I knew which days were best for buying hot lunch, when to send snow boots and how to organize a sports snack list.  Parents were following my lead and seeking my advice.  When did I transition from the mom who forgot to bring her son's helmet to football practice or who sent her daughter to school without reeds for her clarinet to the mom who had it all together?   

It appears all you really need to move into this new parenting plateau is age and experience. Who knew?