Everybody's talking about.....

....competition. If there was a competition for 'Theme of the week', the winner would be 'competition'. This has been discussed and debated this week all over the blogosphere, in national newspapers and even on Desperate Housewives.

I recently wrote a light-hearted post about the competitiveness of mums. It received some very interesting comments which suggested that this is not a laughing matter to most and is an aspect of motherhood which most of us could do without. But if we're all saying that, then someone must be lying, otherwise who is doing all the back-stabbing and competing?

In an excellent post yesterday, The Noble Savage brilliantly dissected an article written in the weekend's Observer Magazine, where it was implied that mummy competition is getting so fierce we're not far off being issued with bullet-proof vests as we leave the maternity hospitals. This got me wondering. Are we really all trying to sabotage each other's already fragile beliefs that we're doing the best job we can and if so, why? Is it simply just a way of validating our personal approach to mothering. If our kid is the best, then surely by default, so are we. And maybe that proof that we're good at our jobs is something we all crave.

Then, in last night's Desperate Housewives, Gaby and Susan start competing about their children's academic ability, and whether they are in the Leopard (advanced) or, god forbid, Giraffe (average) maths class. I'd like to think that such frenzied 'mom competition' is TV drama at it's best (or worst). My child starts school in September so I'm sure I'll find out then just how much of this is fiction, or reality.

Also this week, we saw the launch of The MADs, 'the Mummy and Daddy (MAD) Blog Awards, celebrating the utter brilliance of British parent blogs.' Competition, or celebration? Some excellent posts from

Babyrambles, Sleep is for the Weak and You've Got Your Hands Full offered their respective viewpoints on this matter.

Having seen the level of interest this has sparked and obvious joy this has brought to those nominated, I can only conclude that the MADs is a positive addition to the community. I was genuinely surprised and delighted that someone nominated me for the Most Innovative Blogger (moi?). I didn't seek a nomination and it can't be friends or family as they won't be aware of The MADs (until after they read this). To be considered good at any of this by a fellow blogger means a lot. As I wrote in a recent article about why I blog, 'all this gives me a great sense of belonging and personal achievement; two things which would otherwise be hard to find as I put on another load of washing and stand on another lego brick in my bare feet'.

Of course, the MADs will produce winners and losers (and surely that is the definition of a competition), but maybe if we're all grown ups about it, we can admire the eventual winners and applaud their badges of honour in recognition for a job well done.

So, maybe an element of competition in our lives is inevitable and at times welcome. As long as we don't end up dodging any bullets and remind ourselves that after all is said and done, it's not the winning, it's the taking part. All you can ever do is your best and what feels right for you. And we'd do well to remember that as both mothers and bloggers.

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Read more about the mother behind the words in my interview with mychild.co.uk

Everybody's talking about.....