I WON -- Worst Mom Award!

I thought I was doing okay with all of the "stuff" going on in my life. I know it's crazy busy with family and school and work and church and PTO ... ad infinitum. Somehow I didn't figure that in the middle of my juggling I might drop a ball or two.

It began with a phone call from the middle school. The guidance counselor was calling to express a concern that several of Big-J's teachers have noticed with his handwriting. Um -- hello -- he has dyslexia and a 504 plan to give him accommodations to help with that. Is there a copy of that plan at school? Nope. Is there any indication in his cumulative folder that he has ever had any sort of problem? Nope. Should I have known better than to expect the schools to actually do right by Big-J without a parental intervention? YES!! What was I thinking? I should have been on top of this one, making sure that the plan was present and being implemented. Instead, I trusted the staff to actually do their job. I have no idea how I came to that brilliant decision since previous experience has indicated that nothing happens without a great deal of parental advocacy. Grrrr. Bad Mom!

Next I get so wrapped up in school work that I forget to check my cell phone between classes. This is rarely a problem for me, but wouldn't you figure that this is the day that the school actually calls with an urgent message? Apparently poor Camo was sick in the morning, but I didn't get the message until the last 30 minutes of his school day. Did I get him picked up? No. Did anyone else pick him up? Of course not. Thankfully Camo got to feeling better and made it through the day. Ugh. More Bad Mom!

Later I rush from school to home where I get to scarf down some dinner that my WONDERFUL husband has prepared before running back out to a Primary presidency meeting. After the meeting, I head to the grocery store so we don't have to drink any more powdered milk (let's not talk about how long it's been since I purchased groceries) and MustangMan is left to do family prayer and the bedtime routines on his own. When I got home, I learned that Panda went to bed in tears because I wasn't home to help him collect all the items he needed for his "All About Me" project that is due this morning. He really wanted to take out his memory tote to find some special things. It's not too late to get the stuff, but it doesn't erase the tears. Sigh. Doing Worse Mom!

This morning Stormin' informs me that he did not get to be section leader in band. He attributes this to the fact that he has mono. I see the disappointment in his eyes. In my head, I know it's really because I am not involved enough in band. I know how the band director operates. He was my own band director once upon a time. The kids whose parents are most involved end up being the section leaders. *shaking head as the guilt seeps in* Even Worse Mom!

Moose also has grand news to share this morning. He has no clean clothes to wear to school this morning. I wasn't here to make sure he actually followed through with his laundry day, so his clothes are all wet in the washing machine. He didn't have enough time to dry them before seminary. I should have checked on this after I put away groceries last night. But, I didn't. **banging head on the desk** I win -- Worst Mom Award -- pin it right here.

P.S. Just for the record, the Worst Mom Award is a running joke. You can only be self nominated for the award after having one of those days that you feel like a complete failure as a mother. The good part is that after donning this medal, you usually break the cycle and get back to the GREAT mom days. - momof5gents @ 9/21/07