I've given some indication of our morning rituals around here. I usually write my posts in the morning, so, go figure, that's what's usually on my mind. To recap, they usually start by prying myself out of bed sometime between 7 and 7:20, prying the punks out of their beds by 7:30, getting them in clothes 7:40, chowing breakfast, 7:50, putting on shoes and backing up backpacks, 8:00, walking and arriving to school by 8:05.
This is a pretty tight schedule. Too tight. We tend to stick with it because is occasionally works brilliantly. Everyone wakes up, gets dressed, and eats without complaining. But the fact is that is OFTEN it doesn't work and we get thrown off track by 5/10 minutes for one reason or the other. And then punks arrive late to school.
Yes, I'm that shameful parent. I confess. And, honestly, I think this sucks of me. It stresses the kids out. And it's completely my fault.
On the other hand, it sometimes seems like even if I do give us more time, we still end up rushing at the end. Almost as if more time creates more problems.
But the obvious answer is to wake up earlier and forget about those brilliant days when everything works like a charm... and admit to myself that 30 minutes just isn't enough time to get two punks ready for school in the morning. I'm setting the alarm for 6:30 tomorrow.
Parkinsons law always applied to me. Still does. Work expands to fill the time available to complete it !
ReplyDeleteGood for you. Mind you, I'm up at six, I get the kids up at seven (it takes them HALF AN HOUR to wake up and get dressed), and leave the house at eight. And you know, I'm still stressed between 7:55 and 8:00am!
ReplyDeleteYea, step by step. I got them up 15 minutes earlier today. We still got to school just in the nick of time, but were slightly less rushed.
ReplyDeleteYowsa! Our children also need to be at school by 8:05 and I was amazed that you could get them up at 7:30 am and make it, until I read further to find you don't always make it. :(
ReplyDeleteIf my children were not up by 6:45 am, we would never make it. They are a bit tired and draggy, so the extra time gets them a chance to wake up, fight, get dressed, eat, fight, brush teeth, pull on the myriads of layers of snow clothes and boots, fight some more, then walk out the door by 7:45 am. Maybe our layers of snow clothes makes it necessary for the extra time.