Mom to the Screaming Masses

And Then There Was Today

When I woke, I was still tired.

I told my hsuband that I hadn't slept well, and for whatever reason, his answer didn't sit well with me.

My kids were irritable. No one wanted to get up. Everyone was tardy coming downstairs. Breakfasts were made and served, attitudes were in full force and by the time we got into the van - it had been rough.

Hearing that people had forgotten their inhalers - and in fact, had brought EMPTY gear bags to the van for cross country practice, and then had the audacity to not only blame ME but argue with me about it -

Well. It was a no good, very bad morning.

I Always Chose the More Difficult Way

This is a frequent sight around these parts.

So when I saw directions for making your own sidewalk chalk, I said, "YES! Let's do it!"

(NOTE - her site is way more beautiful, peaceful and inspiring than mine will ever try to be. I'm not that type of person. We all know that - so let's not be under any illusions, ok? Let's start off with the reality that I'm so not that person.)

My husband shook his head. He claims that I always try to do the difficult stuff. Why make sidewalk chalk, he wondered. You can just buy it at the dollar store, he said. Which is true, but I like to make stuff. Despite the fact that I haven't a creative bone in my body, I like to make stuff. I make my own body scrubs, have a kit in my wish list to make bath bombs and lip balms - it's neat to me to make those things.

It's definitely not cheaper, though.

What I Want You to Know About Fitness

Six years ago, I had an 18 month old baby. She was one year younger than her closest sibling, and followed four others. So, six total. My life was wrapped up in my kids and my life was chaotic. I began the journey into spectrum disorders and dealt with a metric butt ton of garbage that I don't wish on anyone in many aspects of my life. I was completely overwhelmed and has gotten into a *very* dangerous habit of consoling myself with food. Angry? Eat. Sad? Eat some more. Overwhelmed? Stuff my face. Happy? Fill my gut.

I rewarded any and all small - or large - victories as if I was a dog - with food. It was not a pretty sight and I was not happy. So I decided that I'd start to try to lose weight, and I told absolutely no one. Not one person. Not even my spouse.

What We Did on Friday

What we spend all of the time that we are not at the gym doing...

I always tear up at cross country meets. Every single time.

Psst - Enter to win $250 here

Enter to win $100 here

Here's the Cool Thing about a Blog

You learn that you are, really and truly, never the only one.

Many thanks for the ideas and input on the school situation. Several of you were spot on in your comments, and one of you hit the nail on the head when you said that the forgetful child could be distracted because s/he's being bullied. Oh yes, and yes again. We've been dealing with this for quite a while now, but I think (hope) that finally, finally we've managed to muscle down to the root of the problem and steps have been taken.

I don't think it will help with the forgetfulness, because this child has several other issues going on - ADD, OCD, anxiety - but maybe, if I can get one area cleared up - the rest has the potential to ease, just a bit. After all, five problems are easier to manage than ten, yes?

This child watched the Anderson Cooper bullying special with me this weekend, and at one point, Rosalind Wiseman (who I adore, btw - really, a most excellent font of knowledge and wisdom) said:

Every child deserves to go to school feeling safe, secure and welcomed.

Or something similar. My kid turned to me and said, "I don't. I don't feel that way at all." But then last night said, "I didn't have any trouble today, and I'm not afraid to go to school tomorrow. That's the first day. I wanted to ask you if I could just quit school."

Many of you admitted to similar thoughts and feeling with regards to your child raising efforts, and although it sounds really trite for me to say - Thank You. Parenting is a tough job. It's ridiculous with the amount of hours, the number of dramas and difficulties you encounter and the fact that there's no training.

I mean, really - wouldn't it be nice if you could take a Continuing Education course, 3 months BEFORE an issue was going to rear it's stupid head - and you'd be given a blueprint to follow? "When Child X says this, you counter with blah, blah and blah. Then you do this, followed by just a tinge of this and then some of that. And - VOILA! - your issue is solved."

But we don't get that CE. No blueprint arrives, and while the nuts and bolts of the baby raising are taught - how to feed, clothe, burp and swaddle, the need and usage of a car seat, the necessity of doctor visits, helmets, dentists and vegetables - those are the easy things. They don't seem easy when you are in the thick of it, but as the kid ages, the more difficult journey begins. There's no map, no guide - except for your friends.

And that's what I love about this blog. Better than the opportunities that come my way are the friendships that I've made, the wisdom you have shared with me, the knowledge that another one of you, somewhere out there, has been down this path, and more importantly, MADE IT OUT IN ONE PIECE -

Well, that's the best part, right there.

Completely Overwhelmed

I'm all about keeping it real over here. I also really like to avoid pity parties, "woe is me" attitudes and "My life is soooo difficult" diatribes. Everyone has a difficult life. Everyone has challenges that, had I a need to face them, I'd probably hide in my bed with the covers over my head. I'm not comparing my life to anyone else's, for I know full and well that my life is cushy and a cake walk compared to what some of you endure day in and day out. I APPLAUD you for all you do, every day and in every way. I firmly believe that most of us don't get the accolades we deserve.

That being said, this post is not so much any of the above as it is just a method of me attempting to process some ideas, thoughts and discussions that are going on in my head right now in light of a couple of conferences that occurred yesterday. All names have been removed to protect the innocent and not hurt anyone's feelings. Above all, this post - like 99.99% of what I post on this here blog - is allllll.about.meeeeeeeee.

By the time bedtime rolls around, I feel like I've been hit by a bus.

I don't have any energy left. I don't want to watch tv. I don't want to have a conversation. I don't want to look at anything that requires that I think, process, respond, feel or DO. I just want to read for a minute (that's about how long I have until I pass out) and fall into a sleep coma.

I feel overwhelmed.

Stream of Consciousness Sunday - October 9

My kids were away this weekend. I worked out three times, ate pizza, (which sounds really dumb, noting it after I worked out so much), made a double chocolate pumpkin cake with pumpkin buttercream (and 7 smaller ones, for teachers on conference day), and made PB chocolate bars. I wasn't overly impressed with them, so off they go to my husband's job.

I made sidewalk chalk, which was scads more difficult than the directions - but, BONUS! - I'll get a blog post out of it this week.

I made a mind jar as a calming technique - let's see if it works or if, as I suspect - it's a bunch of hooey.

I painted a sign for my husband. Looks a bit like this one, although way more sloppy.

I ordered a couple of Canvas pictures - this is my newest obsession, and happily - the canvas photo places have been featured prolifically on the groupon (and similar) sites this month.

I'm currently reading C.C. Chapman and Ann Handley's book Content Rules - I was sent a book to review (not this one, a different one) and I *hate* it. The problem is, I hate the main character - and I just can't read a book in which I hate the main character. I tried to start several other books and was similarly frustrated, so I picked up Content Rules - I was given it at the Forward with Ford event - where I also met with Mr. Chapman. Having been immersed this week in the two big social media failures (One a Ragu faux pas, involving Mr. Chapman and the other an event involving Jenny the Blogess) - well, social media was on my mind. And so I am currently reading - and highlighting - this book voraciously. I have big plans for it - it's going to a coworker of my husband's when I'm finished.

Tomorrow is conference day. I'm dreading one, know *exactly* how two will play out, and one is a wild card. I also have eye appointments for the two youngest of the Masses - I wonder if both will need glasses.

HoneyCrisp Apples sit in a huge bowl on my desk.

And it's really quiet here.

This was my 5 minute Stream of Consciousness Sunday post. It’s five minutes of your time and a brain dump. Want to try it? Here are the rules…

• Set a timer and write for 5 minutes only.
• Write an intro to the post if you want but don’t edit the post. No proofreading or spellchecking. This is writing in the raw.
• Publish it somewhere. Anywhere. The back door to your blog if you want. But make it accessible.
• Add the Stream of Consciousness Sunday badge to your post.
• Link up your post below.
• Visit your fellow bloggers and show some love.

Now…

1. Grab the button

(Code is on fantabulous Fadra's site!)

And get cracking, McCrackin.

All Around the Web

In lieu of solid reading here, I'd like to direct you to a few other places instead.

I'm the featured Mom of the Week at the all new 4 Kids or More blog. I'd love it you'd hope over there - comments left let them know it wasn't a mistake to profile me!

Iron shavings in your Macaroni and Cheese? Kind of gives Iron Fortified a new meaning, doesn't it?

Sports Safety Tips and How to Balance Homework and Sports are up at Cafe Mom, sponsored by Gatorade

Keeping the Back to School Excitement, sponsored by Hallmark

I was pleased to be asked to co host a text discussion talk at The Motherhood, and the notes - and a FANTASTIC giveaway! - are over at Scrutiny by the Masses.

Don't forget to enter to win $100! The holidays are approaching faster than I want to imagine.

If you've gotten through this, THANK YOU.

Have a wonderful weekend. My mom (!) is taking four of my kids away, so I plan to work out and sleep. And maybe sleep some more.

Who am I kidding - I'll probably organize closets. My life - it's so exciting.

 

Anxiety and The Toll It Can Take on a Family

A loyal and (very pretty!) reader sent a email to me, and with her permission, I'd like to share it with you.

I'm dealing with an almost identical situation, and I'd love to hear what you have to share.

You've mentioned that one or two of your kids suffer from anxiety. How do you handle it? My 9 year old girl has anxiety issues (they are genetic, I think; my mom and my brother both have major issues with anxiety). She seems to feel as if she is responsible for everything, like the weight of the world is on her shoulders. She has an awesome imagination, and is super smart, and that actually makes it worse as she is easily able to mentally put herself into bad situations and imagine how it would feel, like if the house were to burn down, or if hubby and I divorced, etc.

Smelly Boys (And Girls!)

This is a sponsored post from Blogher. All opinions and ideas expressed here are my own and although I have been compensated - if you know me, you know I speak my mind.

A few years ago, I worked in the cafeteria in my kids’ school. The school goes from Pre-K, age 3, to 8th
grade, 14 or so. The kids run the gamut in development – you get teeny tiny kids in there, barely tall
enough to carry a lunch tray, to hulking, behemoth 8th grade boys, who need to shave twice a day and
girls with more curves than most grown women.

It was warm in the kitchen area, and when the kids came through the line, the air temperature rose
several degrees. I noticed that when the bigger kids came through, not only did the temperature rise, as
well as the noise level – but so did the odor. In particular, I noticed that the boys were especially, um,
fragrant – but it wasn’t just typical (and natural) body odor. No, it was more of a perfume-y odor. Upon
investigation, I discovered that the boys knew that they smelled odiferous and so they had begun to
pass around several cans of strong smelling body spray in an attempt to both cover the smell and attract
the girls.

Neither effort was successful.

When I spoke with the gym teacher, she indicated that she had several brands of deodorant available
for both girls and boys, and she encouraged them to not only apply it at home, but use her stash after
gym class. The boys were all too embarrassed to do so, and instead decided to be “manly” and apply the
heavily scented body spray much too heavily and much too often. It took discussion from myself, my
boss and the gym teacher to tell the boys that when it comes to body spray, less is indeed more – and
deodorant is a *much* better choice.

The folks at Unilever -- makers of Degree® Men, Degree® Women, Degree® Girl, Dove®, and Suave®
-- have introduced the “Don’t Fret The Sweat” campaign which aims to reduce the embarrassment
that kids feel when it comes to the sweat-inducing moments in daily life. Working with a roster of
community partners and experts in their fields, the campaign’s Don't Fret The Sweat Facebook page is designed to help provide parents with the tools that they need to speak to their kids without discomfort and help them be inspired in all that they do.

Do you have a similar stinky story to share? Lay it on me – here, where I can’t smell it, thanks! – and be
entered to win a $100 Visa gift card and a Don’t Fret The Sweat gift pack.

But You've Gotta Follow the Rules!

No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older and will run from Oct 4- to Nov 4. It will close at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.  You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

Visit the BlogHer Prizes & Promotions section for more chances to win!

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