Another day, another worry

I feel bad even writing and venting about this, but some days are just tougher than others and that's a fact.  I know there are moms out there with kids battling life threatening diseases, major disorders and other traumatic life experiences, but for now this is my world.

I see the other side too.  In parent groups I see other moms, much newer and with less age ranges, worrying whether their kids will get enough votes for the newest photo contest or if they're kid is not doing what their friends' kids' are doing or they're upset because the kiddos, not in school, are getting up before 8:00 am. 

For me, it's the reality of working outside the home (out the door at 7 and back at 5), spending enough time with them and being able to help them get all that they need TIMES 5.  Plus the range in ages is 1-13.  That means we're going through almost every developmental stage for children at once.  We're only missing the older teen, which I don't look forward to right now, so 'yay me' (to quote London). 

So, I have a 1 year old that hits and will not go to bed....until 2 hours of us putting him back to bed 20 times and then finally falling asleep on us.  So what I have a 4 year old that can read, but is beginning to go through the sassiness of a little girl her age and making up for all time lost with all due haste and has to be checked out for kidney problems that scare me some; though I try not to focus on what may or may not be.  So if I have a 7 year old that listens to about 1/2 of what we say to her and has a love for tattling on older brothers....DAILY...being sure to only pick on one at a time, thinking we don't know (she has admitted to doing this) and most likely is ADD.  And, whatever if I have a 9 year old that is caught between a little boy and big boy and sometimes his emotions really give this away and at his size flopping to the floor...not so cute.  And it's not a big deal to have that and 13 year that is ADHD/ADD, but can't have meds because he has a heart condition and is brilliant, but doesn't care about his grades, so they randomly go down from time to time throughout the year and he always makes sure to be fair to all the classes and rotates the bad grades around.

I feel stressed right now with all this little stuff packing on and the worst thing is I shouldn't let it stress me.  There's nothing I can do about it.  They're good kids.  They really are.  They don't beg for cell phones and other spoiled kid things and they're thankful for what they do have.  I have good kids, but how could I not be stressed and worn out...some of the time?  And yes I signed up for this gig and I never, for a second regret it, but they are my life and I worry about them.  I want only the best for the five little people sharing a room, life and love with us.