OVERWHELMED!

How do you other moms do it?  How do you raise such well-rounded, intelligent, talented, happy, perfect children?  How do you choose what extra-curricular activities to enroll your children in?  How do you get three kids who need to be at different places at the same time to their respective destinations.  How do you have time to do your other "homemaker" jobs like the cleaning, laundry, dinner, while you are out being a taxi driver most of the time?  How do you make it through the day, knowing that you just get to do it all over again tomorrow.  How do you pay for all their activities?  When do kids just get to be kids between all their schooling, homework, dance lessons, music practices, church activities, chores, babysitting, etc?  Has life gotten sooo competitive now that we feel obligated to enroll our kids in everything out there so that they can excel in life?  To get into a good college anymore, you have to have a 3.6% GPA, been student body president of the high school, played football, been head of the cheer squad, captain of the basketball team, played three instruments, and speak at least one foreign language.  (O.K. - That's a bit of an exaggeration, but the point being - our kids have to be so much more prepared and experienced than we ever had to be to be at their age.)  And I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed on how to get my little ones ready for that.

Two weeks ago, Oakley started pre-school, I started volunteering twice a week in Dakota's Kindergarten class, all the girls started ballet classes, and Brooklyn and Makenna started piano.  It may not sound like a lot, but it has been very hard to adapt to our busy, busy schedule.  The girls still have their theater class going on, too.  Some days, I have to be two places at once and most days, I get home from one thing just in time to leave again.  The older girls were grounded last week from T.V., computers, friends, movies, etc. for a week.  Brooklyn realized real quick that it didn't really feel any different, cuz' it's not like we do a lot of that anyway - WE ARE TOO BUSY!

I am sooo tired, partly because I'm sick, but mostly because I lay awake at night stressing out over my decision to put them into this or that, or worried that they don't have time to just be kids, or wondering how we are going to pay for it all.  We used to carry this sort of schedule before we moved, but since then we have just been trying to keep our head above water.  Throwing them (and myself) into all this at once was probably not a wise decision, but we often can't control when openings on waiting lists pop up, or doors open.  Just having a semester off dance has really had an effect on the older girls' technique.  She is not up to par of some of her peers because of the "time off", so it's good we found a spot for them to continue their ballet training.  A sought-after piano teacher in our area had two lesson spots open up this last week and invited Brooklyn and Makenna to have them.  Their lessons DO NOT run cheap - a little on the high end.  And then there are all the supplies - books, dance leos, ballet shoes, competition fees, registration fees, etc.  YIKES!

Anyhow, I thought I would vent for a minute.  It's hard being a mommy sometimes.  There are days that I feel in total control, and other days that I feel a complete failure.  My hubby is never home as his work takes him away often and keeps him at the office very late.  I just want to know how some of you other moms survive your days.  Am I alone in my sleepless slumbers?  Am I crazy for over analyzing how to go about raising confident kids?  Am I just plain crazy?  (Don't comment on that last one...I already know the answer.  Ha, ha!)

I feel better now (mostly because my sis, just came and got the girls for the night so that Darin and I can go out).  Thanks, Holly!