How Parenting Can Be A Lot Like The Hunger Games

Parenting can be riveting and entertaining. Just like in the Hunger Games, there are parts that make you cheer aloud and parts that make you gasp in horror. It’s edge of your seat every day and it can feel like an epic saga.

In the beginning, deciding who is going to get up in the middle of the night for a diaper change or feeding can feel quite dramatic. After a long day, it seems like an awful lot of effort. Someone has to go, and the person who decides to get up knows a little bit about how Katniss felt at the Reaping. I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE! I WILL CHANGE THE DIRTY BUM!You end up spending a lot of your life defending property from being destroyed by your kids playing games. “This is why we can’t have nice things!” Seriously. This is why. THAT IS MAHOGANY. Ok, it’s Ikea, but it’s the only coffee table we have.There are so many competing theories on the best way to raise your child that it can feel like the luck of the draw. How do you know what’s best? Attachment parenting? Breastfed? Bottle fed? Montessori? Waldorf? How much of it even matters? Does a specific combination make a difference? It feels like a gamble either way. May the odds be ever in your favour, mama.

Like Effie, you spend a lot of time imparting basic etiquette. “Say please!” “Say thank you!” “That’s not how we behave at the table!” “Get your finger out of your nose, please and thank you!” After all, manners are important. You just wish you could spend as much time as she does on your hair and makeup without interruption.There can be a lot of judgment from people who don’t know what you are going through. Some folks will tell you that you are too uptight and need to relax. Others will tell you that you aren’t parenting your kids right. Everyone has an opinion to share with you and they might not always be nice about it.The nice thing is that whatever you are going through, other parents understand. There is a certain kinship and solidarity in the raising of children. It’s nothing spoken, maybe it’s a nod or a shared glance of sympathy. Hey mom who’s kid is completely losing her marbles over buying shoes, I feel you.Parenting can be tough but we all have a great chance at making it through to the end with a smile and pride for a job well done. Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favour!

How do you deal with days where your life feels like a reality show?