Everyone has one of these: It’s a friend who epitomizes that 1970s advertising jingle about being able to bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan, and never, never let him forget he’s a man.’’

And oh, yeah, this W-O-M-A-N can also shuttle two kids to soccer practice, dance rehearsal and gymnastics on time, while at the same time negotiate with her husband on the cell phone about who’s cooking dinner and what’s needed for the pool party on Sunday.

“That’s Kelly McClane,’’ said Ashley Hodge, 26, a public relations specialist for Baptist Hospital.

“She does it all so naturally without losing a sense of who she is and what she believes in,’’ Hodge said of her childhood friend.

How does she do it?

 Hodge said her friend’s approach mirrors a trend among her under- 30-year-old peers.

 “You will see with our generation that the life-work balance can be strenuous, but it isn’t as hard to achieve because we take the ‘team approach’ in most of the aspects of our lives — work, marriage, children, family and friends,’’ Hodge said.  “Tasks, goals and life’s challenges are a lot easier to take on when you have someone in your corner cheering you on.’’ 

McClane will tell you, though, that she’s not a June Cleaver or Stepford wife, nor does she have a fairy godmother with a powerful wand.

The 26-year-old said she has a knack for organization, communication and a great main squeeze, Eddie, who is as handy in the kitchen as he is in the yard.

“We have a good solid marriage and mutual respect,’’ McClane said of her husband. “We have excellent communication and cooperation.’’

But without the tools of her trade “scheduling and a cell phone,’’ their lifestyle would sputter into chaos rather than flow along harmoniously.

“And with both of our families living here, we have a huge network to help us,’’ she said. “Without fail, there is always someone to grab kids or to take care of them.’’

Flexibility is paramount, she said.

The girls Meghan, 7, and Riley, 5, have busy after-school schedules. They play soccer two to three nights a week and sometimes on weekends. On other nights they have gymnastics or dance.  Eddie’s job as an electrician allows him to get off work early most days, but unexpectedly, he works late. McClane’s job as a supervisor for the Florida Department of Revenue requires her to travel periodically.

The couple continually negotiates who will do what, and they are willing to adjust plans.

“Eddie and I talk about what’s going on the next day every night before we go to bed, and on the next day we touch base about mid- afternoon,’’ she said “Normally, I pick up the girls from school every day, and we go where we need to go. If he has to work late, he calls me and says we need to redo the schedule.”

Parental partnering is also key to their success.

“We co-parent,’’ she said. “I’m the one who does most of the appointments, and when the kids get home, he’s going over homework with them. Both of us jump in to do what needs to be done.’’

They also support each other’s parenting methods. “When one of us makes a decision with one of the kids, we support each other, whether one of us wholly agrees or not.’’

If one parent disagrees with the way the other handled the problem, they discuss it later out of ear-shot of the children, she said.

Maintaining the marriage is also crucial to balancing their busy lifestyles, McClane said.

“Eddie and I will get away about once every four months,’’ she said.

They go on dates more

frequently. 

The couple believes that kids need a break from their hectic routines, too.

“We make sure we take one trip each year with the kids,’’ she said. “My kids think it’s cool to just stay in a hotel. They want to see two beds that they can jump on, and they’re ecstatic if there is a swimming pool.’’

McClane admits that dinner is the one area that needs work.

“I definitely don’t do the June Cleaver thing with a sit-down family meal every night,’’ she said. “We do try to eat at the table together when we eat at home, even if we pick up food.’’

If she could, she’d also hire someone to clean the house.

 “I don’t clean every week,’’ she said. “If anything, I wish I could get into a better habit. But we do a big clean before parties. And my kids help. They vacuum and they think it’s fun to get paper towels and clean with Windex.’’

KELLY MCCLANE’S 10 TIPS FOR BUSY FAMILIES

1. Create a schedule. 
2. Communicate well with your partner.
3. Be flexible.
4. When planning a party for mixed company — adults and children — make sure that you invite guests who are kid-friendly. 
5. When planning parties or family barbecues, ask everyone to contribute a dish.
6. Maintain marital bliss by making regular dates with your husband for either a romantic weekend getaway or an evening out.  
7. Plan family getaways to indulge the children with stress-free fun. 
8. Don’t forget about pampering yourself with a night out with the girls, a shopping date with your mother, or a pedicure or massage.
9. Encourage your partner to find time to indulge in his favorite hobby.
10. Don’t stress over the small stuff, such as having a dust-free home.