May The Odds Be Ever In MY Favor!!

Oh how I wish the odds could be ever in my favor!!  Just like they seem to be for Katniss in the Hunger Games.  But wait, are they really in her favor?  It sure seems like she has to work REALLY hard to stay alive with all the other tributes and things definitely don't just come that easy for her.  There is a lot of strategy that takes place.

For a long time I have known I've needed to start my new normal.  And to be quite honest it hasn't been as easy as I thought it would be.  But, like Katniss, I had no idea what to expect embarking on this new journey in life and I sure as heck had no idea how my fellow tributes would try to survive.

I came to find out they all have a different strategy than the one before and that age really doesn't make a difference.  Now if you are wondering who my fellow tributes are, they are my kids.  I have many other fellow tributes but they are truly the ones in the Hunger Games arena with me.  You might be asking why I am comparing this to the Hunger Games.  Well my dear friends, I am here to tell you, in this house it has been a game of survival of the fittest!!  I literally wake up each morning wondering how each of them are going to act that day!  Because like I said, they all have a different strategy on how to survive!!

First, my oldest girl is trying out being the instigator of naughty activities while being very silent about them and then showering you with love afterwards so the punishment isn't so fierce.  She thinks that she can get away with certain things and blame them on her younger siblings, but little does she know that her eldest and wisest tribute knows better.  Along with that she is trying to continue the sympathy card.  Which is a tough one to battle, but we take it as it is and just try to let her survive how she sees fit with that one.  Now she is also a good helper, but on her terms only.  She is pretty bratty when it comes to anything not being on her terms.

Second, my only little boy has been quite the leader.  At least in my opinion.  He has stepped up to the plate, at the ripe age of 3 1/2, to be there for me.  It hasn't always been like this and it wasn't until recently that he started doing this, but he figured out really quickly that if he does more helping than disobeying he gets further in the day without too much discipline.  

Third, the sweet forgotten tribute, is currently doing anything and everything she can to make it through to the next day and not end up as one of the tributes the canon is fired for.  You name it, she's done it.  And she likes to do it all naked.  With the exception of her diaper of course.  But man alive, you mess with her the wrong way, you better expect revenge back ten fold.  She might be tiny but boy she can dish it out!!  Part of it has to deal with her age, but honestly, I'm pretty sure she's trying to find her place within all of us tributes.  Can't be easy with 5 of us!

Last but not least, my fourth tribute is my little peacemaker.  She is so sweet all the time, puts a smile on every ones face and is working so hard to catch up with the rest of us.  I hope she stays this way, because having 4 other tributes to try and keep track of with such different and difficult strategies makes for a very tough day!!

Now as for me?  I was just trying to survive each day.  Make it through to bed time, enjoy my alone time and go to bed.  But I found that wasn't working for me.  I was pretty much letting the my fellow tributes have run of the arena to do whatever they wanted however they wanted to.  But quickly realized that it wasn't working in my favor.  So I decided I was going to take a stand.  I wasn't going to let certain behaviors fly anymore.  I wasn't going to take crap from them anymore.  I was going to show them that it is ok to fail, have everyone see you, pick yourself back up and keep going.  And since I have taken this new strategy (which has not been very long), I have found I am much more successful throughout my days in the arena.  I don't use this strategy everyday as I am still trying to learn how to mold it, but with each new task I take on, I feel much more accomplished.  I feel as if I am finally close to winning the Hunger Games rather than loosing them.  And that is an AMAZING feeling!!!

This round of the Hunger Games is a different round than I have ever played before.  Strategies are having to be changed day by day and sometimes even hour by hour.  But by acknowledging there needs to be a change, changing the strategy and pressing forward, we are all starting to be more successful.  And that's what matters right?  Katniss had to adjust several times in order to finally win the Hunger Games.  If we can all learn to step back, assess our situations and take care of what needs to be taken care of, we will all be pretty darn successful within our own individual Hunger Games!!  And May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor!!