Keeping the Peace in the Morning Rush Hour
Keeping the Peace in the morning rush hour is not always easy…….
Wow. This was a hectic morning getting my three munchkins off to school.
With a preschooler, second grader, and fourth grader, the drop off times are all different. My fourth grader gets dropped off at 8:00, preschooler at 8:45 and second grader at 9:20.
My grand total of pick ups and drop offs per week, just for school, is 19!
Can you say, chauffeur?? I really feel like that is what I am some days. If you also count the driving carpools to after school activities, my pick up/drop off schedule totals about 29 per week.
Since the weather has been much better, we are promoting the “ride your bike to school” idea more for our two oldest. So far, its been going well, but this morning was a nightmare.
We need one place for all of our items
My 4th grader rides her bike to swim practice after school with three of her friends, so she packs her swim bag in the morning to take to school with her. Well, this morning, she could not find her swimsuit, so that started a hysterical (not the fun type of hysterical 🙂 ) treasure hunt for the suit about 5 minutes before she had to leave.
Still did not find the suit, but she did leave a huge mess all over her bedroom and the kitchen. And, by huge mess, I mean that the room looked like a hurricane had just whipped through and turned everything upside down.
Then, about 2 minutes before departure time, she remembers that she has music class today and needs to bring in her baritone horn.
In fourth grade at our elementary school, you have the option of joining the band and can choose from a wide array of instruments. What does my daughter choose? The baritone horn. For those of you that are not familiar, let’s just say this is BY FAR the largest instrument she could have chosen.
Its massive and is worth $3,000. Due to the value of this horn, I was sweating bullets while signing the rental agreement. We have one more month, then we will be turning it back in (yippee!). My daughter wants to move on to the guitar and become a pop star and songwriter. 🙂
Anyway, I digress. So, then, she asks me to drive her to school. I quickly get out of my fluffy robe and put on my Mom uniform (stretchy black pants and gap short sleeve shirt), and zip her to school with her monstrous instrument.
When I suggest to my darling daughter on the drive to school that we work on finding one place to always put our swimsuits, she rolls her eyes at me, like its the most ridiculous suggestion ever. Has anyone received an eye roll from your fourth grader?? NOT fun.
I think I need to start up weekly mother daughter time again with this one. In fourth grade, something changes where they do not tell you everything anymore and, for some reason, parent’s suggestions are always very far from the best solution in their eyes.
Then, when I get home from dropping off my daughter, I ask my preschooler to get dressed about 42 times before he finally acquiesces and puts on his signature cargo shorts and t-shirt. That boy wears shorts year around. He NEVER gets cold. It really is quite amazing.
When I dropped him off at a playdate the other day, the Mom of my son’s friend, remarks that this is the first time she has seen him appropriately dressed for the weather, because now its warm where we live. I think she was right. Her comment might have rubbed me the wrong way just a little. But, I have read that you don’t want to overdress your kids when they are young as it can mess up their metabolism and cause weight issues. He is happy in shorts, so I’m happy.
Every time I would ask him to get dressed this morning, the volume of my voice kept raising a little more each time and the frustration factor just started quickly going through the roof. I really don’t like it when I become mean Mom, but there are just some days…..
Almost There
Anyway, so now my preschooler and fourth grader are off to school…….one more, my second grader. She is dressed, but still has her robe on. She sometimes will get dressed right when she gets up, but then puts her fluffy robe on over her clothes.
I’m ok with this, but today, she wore it into the car, and really complained when I asked her to take it off (I mean REALLY complained). I guess she could have worn it to school? It just doesn’t seem right to wear a robe to a place of learning. 🙂 Maybe its just me.
Finally, number 3 is off to school.
Sometimes I just feel like I’m in this never-ending race to nowhere. This is why I believe in getaways, and short family outings. I think being caught in suburbia all the time can really wear on your nerves and make everyone feel like they’re on a hamster wheel. I’m thankful there are so many great spots within an hour of where I live to venture out of Momville.
How are your mornings? Do you have any tricks for making them smoother than mine?
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