Wanna play

Yesterday, on the way home, the girls saw two of their friends outside riding bikes. They're lucky in the fact that they have several kids around the same age living within a few doors of each other. it's nice that they can just go next door or across the street and play with their friends. I feel so bad that my kids don't have that. Of my neighbors, most don't have kids. The ones that do are either way too young or way too old for my kids to play with. So, it's not like they can just go outside and play with their friends. They don't have a Maureen or a Lisa or a Janice or a Nikki or a Cynthia or a Danny or a Vicky or a George or a Debbie like I did growing up. They don't "call for" anyone, ring a bell or yell up to a window to see if someone can come out and play. It makes me sad that the world isn't like it used to be. Maybe I'm neurotic, but I won't even send my kids out to play without watching them. They can't cross the street by themselves either. When I was their age, that's all we did was play in the street. So, now I have to schedule playdates and try to squeeze in playtime between dance and gymnastics and scouts and religious instruction and cheerleading and whatever else everyone is signed up for. I wonder what life will be like when their kids are this age. Maybe they'll all live in bubbles and communicate via smart phone!

Wiped!

Wondering how all my local friends are feeling at the end of this first week of school. Not complaining, but I gotta tell you, I am wiped out!!!! I don't feel like doing anything. I can't even imagine how tired the kids are. I feel bad for my youngest - going from afternoon kindergarten to a full day of school is tough. It's a loooong day. My oldest is a pro. She went to full-day pre-school and kindergarten so elementary school was no major change. She is now in 4th grade which she declares to be the 'best grade ever.' By the fourth day, she wasn't as enthusiastic when she realized how much work she has to do. But, she's a good student and I know she'll do well. The little one is more like me - no focus, no discipline. I have a feeling I'm going to find out what my mother went through with all those trips to the principal's office. I saved most of my badness for high school so maybe I have a few years to warm up! My problem this week is that I work full time and my kids go to two different schools. To save them from getting home 45 minutes late due to a new busing system, I've decided to pick them up. Two different schools, very close to each other but also dismissing at the same time. So it's go to one school, hope to find a parking space while waiting for the 13 or so buses in the parking lot, get the kid, feel bad that my hellos are brief because I'm rushing, then drive to the other school and do the same thing. I can't imagine how things will be next week when PTA stuff and Girl Scouts really kick in. Sometimes I feel like I'm on auto-pilot. But, it's not a very good one. I put the clothes out the night before but the kids want something different. I forget the lunchboxes and have to scramble in the morning to get it all together. I put the dinner fixings in the crock pot but never take it out of the fridge and plug it in (a five second thing that means no dinner is ready when I get home). The dishwasher is full of dirty dishes because, guess what, I forgot to turn it on. The minute we get home, my kids want a myriad of things - snack, TV, talk about their day, call their friends, make a playdate, sew a button. I'm emptying backpacks and asking why there is a full yogurt in their lunchbox. Homework? Not now. Want to review your words for the spelling test? Okay, I guess so. Mom, can you order me books from the catalog that came home? Mom, can you send out emails to everyone you know so that they'll buy stuff from the school fundraiser. Mom, can you call Friend to see if she can skype with us on the computer. Hold on now. I just unpacked the backpack! I need to walk and feed and water animals. I need to check the mail. I need to figure out what's for dinner. And then I need to do the dishes so we have something to eat the dinner on. I'm so tired. I just want to have a nice cup of tea and sit down for a few minutes. I don't want to have to think about anything. But, when am I supposed to clean the house? When I am supposed to go grocery shopping? When am I supposed to schedule the test the doctor told me to have? When am I supposed to do anything? I sometimes think a clone would be nice to have. Not necessarily a clone of me - maybe one of Martha Stewart who could live in my house. It could happen.

Bye Bye Summer

I just opened the pantry to get a cracker when I noticed a box of snacks I had bought for school lunches. Then I realized that I have to pack those lunches tonight! I can't believe it's time for school again. I know a lot of parents who have been waiting for this day for weeks. But, I have to honestly say that last week was the first time I had one of those "When does school start?" kind of days. For tomorrow, I'm happy and sad. I love this time of year and I'm excited for my girls to have that first-day rush. I'm sad because my youngest daughter will now be going to school the entire day so I will no longer have those mornings with her and I know I will miss them terribly. This will also be the first time since I was 8 months pregnant that I've had a full-time job. I've always worked part-time or freelance, but being back at work with grown-up people and grown-up issues is a big step. But, it's actually a little bit easier dealing with those problems than dealing with parenthood. I've been both a working mom and a stay-at-home mom and I know that both are really hard. Some days, I would have to say I prefer the job to being at home and cleaning and cooking and shuttling and finding things to keep everyone happy and not bored. I am blessed with a great work environment and a wonderful boss so I know I will not miss anything in my girls' lives. I know there is no way my kids will get to sleep on time tonight. I know there is no way we won't be rushed in the morning. I know we will rush for a bus that won't be here on time. I know that my kids will walk through their respective school doors feeling a little bit confident but also a little bit nervous. And I know that I will think about them every minute while I try to make sense of spreadsheets and sales data. Maybe I better stop typing and go make those lunches! Happy School Year!