Before I got my French driver’s license, I thought I was just going to die from all the back-and-forths that come with having multiple offspring – ice skating, school, centre, nursery, multi-sports, etc.
Now that I can drive, I am really not sure it’s any better.
Our school days are from 8:30 to 4:30, but there is no school on Wednesdays. For the moment . . . There’s lots of talk about adding Wednesday mornings, and perhaps making the school day shorter too, but that’s still up in the air for now.
What that means is that working moms must surrender to the fact that there is little they can do for their kids in the way of extra-curricular activities outside of school. And on the flip-side, we stay-at-home moms can feel the pressure to do everything that is offered.
I blithely said that I thought my kids should each have one sport and an instrument (and of course they should learn swimming and skiing too – and why not horseback riding and fencing, while we’re at it). For now let’s just commit to music and a sport. But when you think about it, that’s 2 activities times 3 kids. And the only possible time to do it all is on Wednesday afternoons.
Oh yes, because I also give English classes on Wednesday mornings.
Today was my last free Wednesday morning before I start teaching. I’ll have two classes chez moi from 10-12, which means that I will have to rush and bring the children to Centre at nine in the morning, then come back and vacuum up the breakfast crumbs before readying myself to give my heart and soul for two hours.
Time for haircuts!
Who's the short (ticklish) guy in the chair?
And time for grocery shopping. Leg of ham anyone?
Hey – cheap plastic toys beat baguettes any day. Don't judge.
At noon, I’ll have a quick lunch before driving to pick up the kids for their afternoon activities.
The two older kids are at one centre and I need to pick them up in time for Young Lady to start dance at 1:00.
I am loving the class outfits for this year.
Then I need to pick up Petit Prince at the Centre next door to the conservatory at 1:30, and walk around the block to the gym to bring him to multi-sports.
Last year Petit Prince accidentally pulled this over onto himself. I heard a muffled cry and saw two feet sticking out like the Wizard of Oz.
They are so excited to be first on the court.
Young Knight is re-living his multi-sport days. This didn't hurt, by the way.
He finally has an activity to call his own.
Then I need to walk back around the block to the conservatory so that Young Knight can start music at 2.
Then wait until 2:15 when ballet is over and bring Young Lady with me around the block again to pick Petit Prince up from sports at 2:30. Walk back around the block to pick up Young Knight from music and bring Young Lady to music at 3:00.
Drive home with the two boys and have a quick snack at 3:15.
Drive the boys over to the middle school so Young Knight can take soccer at 4:30.
Why are you dragging me around like this? I'm only three, you know.
Drive immediately back to the conservatory to pick Young Lady up from music at 4:45.
Walk over to the middle school (since by now we’re not in a hurry) and retrieve Young Knight from soccer at 6:00.
Eat, shower, sleep, get ready for school.
And to top off this insane craziness, I’m even thinking of adding an extra English lesson at 9am to accommodate some of my old students, and so that I can make some extra money.
Am I nuts to try and start this hectic day even earlier? Somehow it doesn’t seem to be any better with a car.
I’m afraid that all this extra-vehicular activity might lead to an overindulgence in this -
and a dearth
of stopping to smell this.
As mothers, we must be masters of juggling and also more than slightly insane to get ourselves into these schedules!
I’m just starting to see the hints of this with my oldest two now in preschool. Like you, I had the grand plan to limit them to one activity at a time, but then I start to think about one sport plus one instrument and then I multiply by three and begin to cry (or caffeinate).
The way you told your story, I pictured all of your comings and goings on a made up map in my head. I’ll admit, I got a little dizzy.