I can still smell the pancakes from Saturday mornings while I type this, the kids arguing gently over syrup in the next room and our neighbor dropping off the mail like clockwork. As a mom in my forties with two kids between eight and twelve, my day moves between carpools, zoom art projects, and the small rituals that make our street feel like home. I’ve learned how tiny changes to my workspace can turn a chaotic afternoon into a calm, creative hour—especially when the kids need a quiet corner for homework and I need a bit of focus. Those moments…