We’ve arrived at kinder (preschool) on time for every session this week.
Considering Noah only goes to kinder three sessions a week, and this is his first week, being on time might not seem like a very big deal… but it is, it really, really is.
You see there is something about 8:30 kinder starts that I just can’t do.
I can get all four kids up, dressed, washed, fed, packed, in the car and at school by 8:50 am precisely, every morning, without fail. It doesn’t matter if we wake up early or late, if we are organised or not, we have the school morning process down to a fine art. We are a well oiled ‘going to school’ machine.
But kinder, at 8:30? We just can’t do it.
Last year Noah had kinder on Monday mornings. That’s it. Just one session a week, 8:30 Monday morning.
We were not on time for a single session all year.
It didn’t matter if I dragged everyone out of bed an hour early, it didn’t matter if I had packed lunches the night before and laid our clothes, it didn’t matter how organised we were, we just couldn’t get the timing right and we were never on time. So the fact that we’ve been on time for kinder this week is nothing short of a miracle!
I don’t like being late.
I never used to be late, and then I had kids.
It seems like such an excuse but just when you think you’ve got it under control kids always seem to drop ridiculous thing in your lap, and then you are late.
Things like having twins with identical school shoes but only being able to find three of them.
Things like a boy who brushes his teeth and instead of wiping his face on the washer sitting right next to his hand, he wipes on the shoulder of his only clean school shirt.
Things like having to find one angry bird and one bad piggy sock before a small child will get in the car.
Things like a daughter telling me we need to set a password for her computer, just as we are walking out the door.
Things like not being able to find that notice that had to go back to school today, and then finding it in your child’s bag where you put it last night when you were being super organised!
Over the years I have developed an arsenal of tricks to combat these last minute disasters and still get places mostly on time.
Except kinder.
Although maybe, just maybe, this year I will master the 8:30 kinder drop off!
I’ll let you know in a few weeks!
Are you never/sometimes/always late?
“I never used to be late, and then I had kids.” Oh, how I know this feeling! I was always, always on time. Until I had kids!
Now we have a very strict schedule in the morning and unless a flooding washing machine or a potty training accident right before we get in the car hits us, we are now able to be there on time – most of the time. But then again, I only have 2 kids!
It’s those unexpected disasters that do it…it’s just that I seem to have more than my fair share of them! LOL
Same here – I used to be on time, even early for things. After kids I feel like we’re always late. Just can’t get them motivated to get out the door. Now my fourth grader has band one day a week BEFORE school at 7:30 – ack! This should be interesting!
oh 7:30 would kill me!
I will have one year next year when all four of my kids will attend the same school… I will relish every moment as the year after my twins will go to high school and have to catch a bus and if they miss the bus, we’re toast!
We are the opposite- we have a nice 9am start for preschool, but next year (oh, next year) school will begin at 7:40!? What!? My kids roll out of bed at 7:30 (mostly). Oh, do we ever have some adjustments to make to our morning routine! Good luck!
7:40???? Oh that is cruel!!
Great post! This is so true for me too. I feel like I’ve done a full day’s work just getting everyone where they have to be in the mornings. I need more sleep!!
Oh yes, I totally need more sleep!
And why do my kids suddenly need more sleep on week days but on weekends they are up at 6:30am???
I’m a time disaster… I was bad before I had kids but worse as each kid has come along. And I hate myself for being so, I know it’s rude and every day I desperately want to be that perfectly groomed mother who is always at drop off with her numerous daughters’ hair perfectly braided. Instead I continue to be the shambolic disaster that sneaks my older son into the back of morning assembly then struggles in late to my daughter’s kindy, half dressed toddler on hip, with no real excuse! *sigh* Maybe I’ll get it all together when I’m a grown up :P
Oh I can so relate!
The more kids I’ve had the crazier getting everyone out the door has become, but instead of cutting myself more slack, I’ve actually felt worse about being late! I feel like the whole world is looking at me and thinking ‘she should have stopped at 2 kids , she obviously can’t cope’ Now of course I know that isn’t true… but oh how loud that little voice in my head can be!
Yes, I think that everyone is thinking the same thing about me too! I think as mums we all need to be a little kinder on each other and ourselves. At the end of the day our kids are going to remember the fun they had with us (and as a regular reader I know there is plenty of that to be had at your place!), not the deadlines we met :) Good luck for an organised and perfectly ‘on time’ week ahead :)