i LOVE picking up my kids from school.
okay, i don't love the drive into the city to get them, but i LOVE that minute when i first see them after their 8 hours off on their own. i love the joy and the excitement. it really is beautiful.....for about 3 minutes....and then the ironic chaos of herding cats begins. then begins the gathering of shoes and bags and water bottles and papers, and the saying goodbye to this friend and that teacher, and three different people wanting to share something that happened immediately (because they forget that we have an hour in the car to get home). then begins the shuffling off to the car and the loosing of one child in that process (usually zoe), while trying not to have anyone hit by a car on the way to our car. then begins the fighting over who gets to sit in the front, the inevitable complaining over how hot the car is (usually instigated by me), and the dissatisfaction with the 'snack in the car'.
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i must pause to comment on this generation and the snack thing. when i went anywhere with my mom as a kid? THERE WERE NO SNACKS!! THERE WERE NO WATER BOTTLES, unless we were playing soccer. THERE WAS NO EXPECTATION OF TREATS OR DRINKS. there were meal times and we waited for them. or if we had snacks, we got them for ourselves at home. and if we were thirsty, we drank from the hose on the side of the house. but now, (and this is our fault) we come prepared, as if any of us have lived through any war like situation for which we needed to be prepared. i mean it's ridiculous! but God forbid you're at the park and your kid is snackless, because then they will (and they will) sidle up to some other kid with their raisin filled tupperware and steal some, probably when they have a really runny nose, just to annoy the prepared mother even more.
not only are there snacks everywhere but there is a hierarchy of snacks, and judgement associated with the quality of the snack. it's supposed to be healthy and nutritious and non-allergic and in a recyclable container.
i admit that i have failed in my rebellion of the snack trend. after too many snotty grabs at other childrens 'pirate booty', i try to have something for them to shove in their mouths, but it's often not as good as other kids snacks.
( i will save my rant about this generation and birthday party extravagance for another post...)
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back to afternoon pick up.... so once in the car, then comes the hour drive home. people usually like to argue over what music to listen to, and then yell at zoe when she replays the beginning of a song over and over. people like for me manage their snack opening and trash disposal while driving, this is annoying. people like to smack the one child who may have fallen asleep, this is also annoying. people like to point out things that are very common place in excited voices like "DID YOU JUST SEE THAT CHICKEN!" and then get upset because i was looking at the car in front of us, instead of the chicken, again, annoying.
but, by far the worst part of the whole day, awaits. the worst part of the whole day happens when we pull into the driveway. for some reason, getting everyone out of the car and into the house, with their stuff, and my stuff, and their snack trash, and whatever groceries i've picked up in town, and getting the house door open, the car door locked, without someone crying and someone else screaming, and someone getting hurt, and me loosing it...well, it's so far proven impossible.
yes. because the dog is moaning and jumping for attention, as is the cat, and it's super hot on the porch, and my keys are buried in a large bag, usually my phone is ringing too, and the groceries are heavy, and i have to pee. once the door is open, suddenly everyone tries to enter at the same time and drop their bags and shoes in the doorway, while whining loudly "WHAT CAN WE EAT MOM!!!" as if they've already forgotten about their car snack!
this happens everyday. it doesn't matter what i do, it does. not. change.
the problem is that in reflecting over my days, and my hours with my kids, i realized that while i LOVE my kids, and i REALLY DO, i actually dread several of the parts of the day with them. because after the 'transitioning and settling into home' happens, then beginning the almost equally dreaded...
homework time. oh. dear. they all need help. they all don't want to do it. they all want to go outside and play. they all want more food. and while homework is the LAST thing I want to do, i'm begging them to sit down get going because it will only get worse as the evening wears on.
finally when they have finished and i'm feeling like i need a nap, or a cup of coffee, or something much stronger, we have about 90 minutes until dinner. that means that i need to go and make dinner. 90 minutes of peace and cooking, sometimes, before the good times begin again, dinner and bath time and bedtime. all that crazy and parenting and reminding and reinforcing and nagging and trying to not yell...it's hard... well, for me.
but, there is hope.
because the time when the darkness has fallen and the teeth have been brushed and those 4 sweet little heads are in their beds, is another favorite and scrumptious few minutes. tucking them in. those quiet moments of one on one time to hold them and smell their hair and tell them they are so loved and (usually) that i'm sorry for yelling and having poor snack choices.
yes. even if there are only 20 minutes a day of precious time, and 700 minutes of chaos, it's worth it. they are worth it.
okay, i don't love the drive into the city to get them, but i LOVE that minute when i first see them after their 8 hours off on their own. i love the joy and the excitement. it really is beautiful.....for about 3 minutes....and then the ironic chaos of herding cats begins. then begins the gathering of shoes and bags and water bottles and papers, and the saying goodbye to this friend and that teacher, and three different people wanting to share something that happened immediately (because they forget that we have an hour in the car to get home). then begins the shuffling off to the car and the loosing of one child in that process (usually zoe), while trying not to have anyone hit by a car on the way to our car. then begins the fighting over who gets to sit in the front, the inevitable complaining over how hot the car is (usually instigated by me), and the dissatisfaction with the 'snack in the car'.
-----
i must pause to comment on this generation and the snack thing. when i went anywhere with my mom as a kid? THERE WERE NO SNACKS!! THERE WERE NO WATER BOTTLES, unless we were playing soccer. THERE WAS NO EXPECTATION OF TREATS OR DRINKS. there were meal times and we waited for them. or if we had snacks, we got them for ourselves at home. and if we were thirsty, we drank from the hose on the side of the house. but now, (and this is our fault) we come prepared, as if any of us have lived through any war like situation for which we needed to be prepared. i mean it's ridiculous! but God forbid you're at the park and your kid is snackless, because then they will (and they will) sidle up to some other kid with their raisin filled tupperware and steal some, probably when they have a really runny nose, just to annoy the prepared mother even more.
not only are there snacks everywhere but there is a hierarchy of snacks, and judgement associated with the quality of the snack. it's supposed to be healthy and nutritious and non-allergic and in a recyclable container.
i admit that i have failed in my rebellion of the snack trend. after too many snotty grabs at other childrens 'pirate booty', i try to have something for them to shove in their mouths, but it's often not as good as other kids snacks.
( i will save my rant about this generation and birthday party extravagance for another post...)
------
back to afternoon pick up.... so once in the car, then comes the hour drive home. people usually like to argue over what music to listen to, and then yell at zoe when she replays the beginning of a song over and over. people like for me manage their snack opening and trash disposal while driving, this is annoying. people like to smack the one child who may have fallen asleep, this is also annoying. people like to point out things that are very common place in excited voices like "DID YOU JUST SEE THAT CHICKEN!" and then get upset because i was looking at the car in front of us, instead of the chicken, again, annoying.
but, by far the worst part of the whole day, awaits. the worst part of the whole day happens when we pull into the driveway. for some reason, getting everyone out of the car and into the house, with their stuff, and my stuff, and their snack trash, and whatever groceries i've picked up in town, and getting the house door open, the car door locked, without someone crying and someone else screaming, and someone getting hurt, and me loosing it...well, it's so far proven impossible.
yes. because the dog is moaning and jumping for attention, as is the cat, and it's super hot on the porch, and my keys are buried in a large bag, usually my phone is ringing too, and the groceries are heavy, and i have to pee. once the door is open, suddenly everyone tries to enter at the same time and drop their bags and shoes in the doorway, while whining loudly "WHAT CAN WE EAT MOM!!!" as if they've already forgotten about their car snack!
this happens everyday. it doesn't matter what i do, it does. not. change.
the problem is that in reflecting over my days, and my hours with my kids, i realized that while i LOVE my kids, and i REALLY DO, i actually dread several of the parts of the day with them. because after the 'transitioning and settling into home' happens, then beginning the almost equally dreaded...
homework time. oh. dear. they all need help. they all don't want to do it. they all want to go outside and play. they all want more food. and while homework is the LAST thing I want to do, i'm begging them to sit down get going because it will only get worse as the evening wears on.
finally when they have finished and i'm feeling like i need a nap, or a cup of coffee, or something much stronger, we have about 90 minutes until dinner. that means that i need to go and make dinner. 90 minutes of peace and cooking, sometimes, before the good times begin again, dinner and bath time and bedtime. all that crazy and parenting and reminding and reinforcing and nagging and trying to not yell...it's hard... well, for me.
but, there is hope.
because the time when the darkness has fallen and the teeth have been brushed and those 4 sweet little heads are in their beds, is another favorite and scrumptious few minutes. tucking them in. those quiet moments of one on one time to hold them and smell their hair and tell them they are so loved and (usually) that i'm sorry for yelling and having poor snack choices.
yes. even if there are only 20 minutes a day of precious time, and 700 minutes of chaos, it's worth it. they are worth it.
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Amazing Blog !!
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