One day, in the not too distant future, I might be able to lie in bed a teeny bit longer. I won’t have to drag myself out of bed when the alarm goes off at 6.50am, wake up reluctant children three times that could in fact be dead on first inspection, search for school clothes, shoes, mouthguards, hair gel, cook breakfast (sometimes), clear up (sometimes), get dressed (sometimes), discuss how much money I”m handing out, find the forms we filled in yesterday but that have now disappeared, write a letter of apology to a teacher for some missing item or incident, lecture youngest on why he shouldn’t be laughing at the thought of a detention, feed cats, clean many teeth, or forget – one or the other, look down their throats with a torch at the splendid sore throats they say they have but don’t, look at sore tooth of youngest, wonder where Dentist details are, iron shirt for man child old enough to do it himself, discuss how he got on with his babysitting yesterday, talk about how his father is insisting on taking him to his university interview when I want to do it and decide to step back and be big and not mind and tell him that he can take me when he’s got a place and show me round but feel sad about that, attempt to get two out of three kids in the car because they’re late only to find that my youngest has his head under the shower because his hair gel has gone wrong and daughter now apoplexic with rage that she’s going to be late, then we also have to search but don’t find entire PE kit – whilst child holds head in hands “CAN YOU HELP ME LOOK?” I shout – “I’M THINKING ABOUT WHERE I LEFT IT. LEAVE ME TO THINK”. So I do and then he remembers it’s at school. I hope he’s right and we drive off and come back twice for forgotten things and my voice is rising and my hands are gripping the wheel a bit tighter and neighbours probably hear us in the car and I want to apologise, but please don’t be cross, I am trying my best under difficult circumstances – not that difficult but it is relentless as a single parent – I know for many double parents it can also be relentless, but still, I am allowed my moment and we get to school and they unfold themselves out of my car like baby birds emerging from shells, all clean and shiny and vulnerable and still covered in little bits here and there as they pile themselves up with bags and books and general detritus for the day but nevertheless taking those small steps closer and closer to flying all by themselves and it’s then that I marvel at the beauty of children and know that when that one day comes, in the not too distant future I am really, really going to miss those busy starts to the day.
What else am I going to do?
Shiny
February 10, 2011Oh, you don’t strike me as someone who’ll ever run out of things to do! It’ll just be the schleppy stuff you don’t have to do anymore, leaving so much more time for the really fun stuff x
Nicola
February 10, 2011I know!!!
Very funny description! I loathe the predictability of our morning shambolic rush – no matter how prepared I think I am the night before, it doesn’t seem to make a blind bit of difference. But when ex has had the boys overnight and I am free to lie in and not do the school run…it’s very, very strange how much I miss it. The chaos. The noise. The energy. The need to be somewhere. The role of Being In Charge.
By the way – fancy a coffee some time??
Nx
Family Affairs
February 10, 2011OOOH YES good idea – lets sort out a coffee now you’re back on hallowed turf!! Lx
kelloggsville
February 10, 2011That is exactly how I feel and I only do it for one! Isn’t it dreadful and wonderful all at the same time?!
Expat Mum
February 10, 2011Uh oh, Nic and Lulu getting together?! Watch out world!
I’m just glad two of mine pretty much get themselves out the door and walk to school (albeit not together). The Man-Child doesn’t have to be in till 9am this morning and the other two at 8.10am. That means I have to leave with the little one before the MC gets up. I am just hoping he’s not still in bed when I get back.
Family Affairs
February 10, 2011Will we be a force to be reckoned with? I hope so x
Chris
February 10, 2011and then you leave them at school where the teacher(me)somehow gets 30 kids off the playground, out of the cloakroom into class for registration … ..without ‘de-coating’ because its swim day and we have to be at the coach for 9am!!. Check dinners, check child who has arrived with trunks minus towel !!! boy of course. (discover Mum is away say no more)
Collect bag of inhalers get said children in some form of crocodile order, count, proceed onto coach check seat belts twice, get off coach, into leisure centre get changed put 18 girls hats on Agggghhh. Put on flips assume position at side of pool explaining how to star float without looking an idiot. Reverse changing and bus order pick up two sets of boys stuff left in changing rooms accompany class back to school with all the girls singing Katy Perry songs in perfect harmony much to the bus drivers delight……time of at arrival back at school 10 30am….Swaps!!!!!
Yours was a very funny post
Family Affairs
February 10, 2011I SO couldn’t do your job – what a nightmare Lx
Crystal Jigsaw
February 11, 2011Brilliant post! Yes, I know where you’re coming from. As far as parenting is concerning, I’m more or less a single parent too! But those days will be missed. However, we’ll get a lie in. Well, we can dream I suppose.
Have a good weekend, CJ xx
English Mum
February 11, 2011Ah my sympathies. I think it gets harder as they get older as they answer back so much more. I end up screeching like a banshee while one tweaks his (already perfect) hair in the mirror and the other one wanders back upstairs to get his phone. What will we do? Drink gin and cackle, probably. Oh wait, we do that already…
Family Affairs
February 11, 2011Exactly. There is no hope x