If You Ain't First,You're Last!

I thought I was YEARS away from competing with other parents.  This day and age is all about the overindulgence of our children with extravagant birthday parties, cars when they turn 10, and a never ending hall pass to disobey any other adult that is not their parent.  I am a looong way from that game. Or so I thought.  My son is on the brink of turning one.  I am as stay at home mom who needs a social outlet for us both.  Great! How about some swim lessons on the local base for a month in the summer?  NOT! Apparently they filled up the August class back in January when the sign ups began and I was number 31 on the wait list. I should have signed him up the day he was born.  Alright, how about storytime at the local library. That used to be free and fun if I remember.  Oh, I'm sorry, the fall session is full and this class fills up fast.  I could show up early and stalk the class and see if someone no-shows as a means of getting him in.  Really?!  So I actually asked the woman in charge when the sign ups for the winter session began and how I could best my chances of getting him in.  I felt low, like I have begun this downward slide into parenthood where my 3 year old has an entire circus at his birthday party. It struck me, is this what it takes to get your child the best? Hell, I'm not even trying to get him into the A list school, its dinky swim lessons and free library story time!  Do I have years of scratching out other mom's eyes and brown-nosing with those in the know ahead of me?  Maybe I am naive as any new mom and just thought that there are a plethora of opportunities for my child and that I would have an easy pick down any such avenue. I am just looking for cheap ways to get out of the house at this point so I cannot imagine what the future holds for soccer games and piano lessons.  I know that we are on the move as a family by the time he is school aged, I better get a fortune teller to help me get him into the best schools.