Atlanta can be rough that is for sure. However, I have found the best time to go through Atlanta to be between the times of 10 PM and 12 AM... That was much easier when my kids were very small. And now that I'm a little older and so are they I just Grin and bear it. I tend to try to go through Atlanta around 10 am or 2 PM.
I once took an alternate route down I 59 in Georgia and down towards I 10 through Alabama. I then took I tin over to 75 and on down. But that added several hours to the trip. It was worth it because the trip was on a Friday afternoon, I had to leave after work with the family, and the traffic was backed up from Atlanta into Chattanooga.
Thanks,
Jeremiah