Most Frazzled Mom Contest

There is actually a contest I heard about the other day that is entitled: "Most Frazzled Mom Contest" and I am considering entering it. You need to submit a 500 word essay explaining why you feel you are the most frazzled mom in our area. The winner gets a prize valued at $500.00. The prize includes one night stay at a local luxury hotel. Not bad for writing 500 words, huh?

Last year I would have had a better chance of winning. This was my life last year: all four of my children attended a different school. My oldest attended a school that was all the way across town. My daughter attended a preschool that was approximately halfway across town. To make matters worse, the timing could not be any worse. My oldest had to be at school by 8:30am. My daughter needed to be at school at 9:00am. My #2 had to be at school by 8:00am. My baby went to school at 8:30am and could not be dropped off any earlier. Picking them up was even worse. My daughter had to be picked up no later than 12:00 noon. My baby had to be picked up by 12:30pm. My #2 had to be picked up by 3:00pm. My oldest had to be picked up at 3:30pm. I finally found a friend to carpool with by the middle of the school year for my oldest. That was a blessing. However, I had to pick up all my kids and be home in time for him to be dropped off at the house. I felt like a taxi driver the entire year. It was crazy!

If you think THAT was bad... I didn't even mention how my daughter had to be at ballet by 3:45pm on Tuesdays and my boys had gym at the same time. That meant that I had to pack their clothes and they had to change in the van once we got there. Thank goodness for tinted windows!! Of course, Wednesdays was Scouts and so they needed to be done with homework and projects in time to be at the meeting. Let's see.... oh, and then I had to deal with bullying issues with my son who was in middle school and a principal that didn't cooperate. Oh... and then my daughter was sick but no doctor could tell me why and didn't seem to want to find out. (That was enough to make ME sick.)

I think you get the picture. Wow... thinking about all I went through last year makes me appreciate 2008 so much more! I guess I should count my blessings and realize that any stress I am under is just part of being a mom. When you have four children it's absolutely normal to feel a little frazzled. If not, then you aren't taking your job very seriously. Feeling a little stress just means that you care. It just comes with the territory.

Well... if any of you reading this live in the Central Alabama Region this is the site with the official rules: http://centralalabama.momslikeme.com/members/journalactions.aspx?g=503205&m=3231342&si=Comments&pi=1
I hope none of you reading this feel like the most frazzled mom.... however, you know what they say, "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade!" It's worth a try, right? If anything, I think it would be very therapeutic to write down some of your thoughts. I know that this blog does that for me. It has helped me so much in ways you will never know.
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Good luck!
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