How is it possible that my child can miss the bus with such elaborate preparations made in advance? The school cloths are selected and neatly laid out the night before. Her lunch is prepared complete with five food groups and crust-less sandwich. By 8:00am breakfast is on the table. Her shoes and backpack are waiting by the door.
At 8:35 the breakfast dishes are done, counters are clean, and hair is styled. I walk out the door congratulating myself for making the 8:41 pick-up.
Unfortunately, my children are not as interested in schedules. They are not impressed by my punctuality. They are much too busy throwing uneaten oatmeal at the house to be bothered by such trivial matters as time.
After what seems like an eternity of pleading, threatening, and literally forcing, I end up chasing the bus all the way to the school. It's just about the time I pull into the overcrowded parking lot that I look down and notice my lack of footwear. As my kindergartner must be walked directly to her classroom my shoeless situation poses a serious problem.
I'm beginning to realize that for me, humility is cultivated through embarrassing and painful life experiences. I have new found respect and admiration for all the veteran moms who survive the war against time, every morning, five days a week for nine long months.
8 comments:
This whole elementary school thing has quite a learning curve eh? I did note that you went from hot lunch to a sack lunch with all food groups and crust-less sandwich in less than week. Progress right?
I love your new banner! Nice font! *wink*
Sweet new look! You rock. I just need to be there next time so I can get you in that pic running after the bus shoeless and beautiful. hee hee. And yes, it is a long nine months. Makes summer even more fun to look forward to.
Sounds like a crazy morning! I'm having a hard time adjusting to this getting ready for school every day business too. We usually end up with a mad rush to get to school on time. I'm lucky though. I can just drive up and drop Grace at school. So that means I can have wet hair and even no shoes. :)
PS I love your new blog header!
I know exactly what you mean! It never fails that someone can't find a shoe or a backpack they just had like five minutes ago! So maddening!!!!
I love your blog and the things you write about. You sound totally organized the way you prepare for the school day. When my kids are late, I usually can only blame myself!
About the girls being late, I recently read a book about natural consequences and the author took this exact scenario and suggested that the girls be told that they were to meet the bus at a certain time. If they did not make that time, they would miss school and be asked to stay home and do housework along with mom. Their absense would not be excused and they would have to pay the consequences of that. As you sound like you work outside the home, perhaps you would have to find a different solution, but anything that makes them accountable for their actions, such as having them serve time on Saturday working to make up for the time you had to spend to take them to school. What do you think?
Love the natural consequence theory however, my kid would stay home everyday if she had the option. Even if it meant sweeping, dusting, and changing diapers. As for the make up homework, as k-garten is optional, I don't know that there are consequences for such actions. At least non that she would be bothered by.
Actually, I do stay home with my kids. Some days I wish I didn't.. But on the whole....
hilarious! I am so worried about being late for things that it freaks me out just the thought of it.
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