stresstrated

stress·trat·ed
: to feel stressed and frustrated at the same time.

We had a stresstrating morning... let's be honest - getting four humans ready to walk out the door is always a bit stresstrating. But this was a particularly difficult (and special) day.

Maggie was an elephant in her class play, Max was starting cricket practice, Jude was hanging on my leg and Jonah was cutting teeth... food had yet to be eaten, bags had yet to be packed, and we were running LATE.

In the heat of the moment Maggie invented a very useful word when she yelled "MOM, why are you getting so stresstrated?!"

I had to pause... first to reflect on the brilliance of the newly created word and second to wonder if my stresstation was a useful emotion for this particular moment.

So we regrouped and "hit the reset button" (a tool I sometimes use with the kids to change the direction of the day). We were late for school... and the world did not end. Maggie was a lovely elephant, Max had fun at cricket, Jude got some cuddle time, Jonah got some tylenol and I got a nap... not worth the stresstration.