Monday Madness- So Close and SO Far

It's Monday. The second to last Monday of the school year. I have called the secretary every day for the past week with transportation changes. I have triple scheduled myself 3 out of the last 8 days. I turned in my grades a day late, one of which I don't even have a grade for one of the students.


YEP.


I'm right on schedule.


How is it that May always hits me as if it is hitting for the first time? I've really got to fix this. 


Right after I finish this blog, fold the laundry, start another load and get the schedule for the week straightened out.


Yours, still thankful in the midst of the madness,


Melissa

Monday Madness

It's Monday Madness around here. When Karen and I first started The Caregiver Organizer, our situations were quite reversed. I worked part-time. It was fairly minimal part-time. My children were toddlers and required much more in-home care, so I was with them A LOT. Karen worked full-time and had a full-time nanny. Fast forward five years- I'm working two part-time jobs (which equals full time with no benefits) and hiring sitters and Karen is the one mostly at home, but WORKING as the Chief of Operations for Karmel Publishing.

Monday for me, for the next eight weeks looks like this:

5:45 AM - run

7:00 get the kids up and moving

8:45 drop the kids off at school

9-3 work

4:00 kids come home- snack and homework

4:30 I leave for work

5:30-9:30- teach my night course

10:15 make it home and hopefully be in bed by 11.

Which is why it's more important than ever for me to keep my caregivers organized. One wrong move and things could start coming unhinged. Thankfully, my children are at an age where the instructions are somewhat less detailed. Instead of saying things like,"Make sure you cut the large grapes in half and stay with him while he is eating because he tends to chipmunk his food,", it looks a little more like:

- text me when you have the kids

-snack

-homework

-20 minutes of reading

- piano practice

- no media until after dinner

-and about five more item.... seriously!

So I'm glad I'm keeping it all in one place. I don't even want to think about what it's going to look like when my parents begin requiring help. I don't mean that as a complaint, just a wondering of how I will manage it all. Guess that's why I'm starting early with the organizer for my parents. I'm getting them a copy this week.

Yours, knowing that there's nothing like planning ahead,

Melissa

THINGS ARE A-CHANGIN’ THIS YEAR!

My boys are in 4th grade this year, so it’s time they do more, so  I can do less.  And really, it’s time.  Don’t worry, I’m not totally cutting them out on their own, but they need to start assuming more responsibility concerning getting ready for school each morning, remembering their schedules, doing their chores, etc.

So let’s start with school.  The night before, they need to pack up their backpacks after they finish their homework and I check it.  In the morning, they need to figure out if they are bringing lunch or buying.  (They are allowed to buy only twice per week.  Call me cheap, call me a health nut, whatever!)  They can get out their lunch box (are they still called lunch boxes, cuz they really aren’t boxes anymore – hey, I still remember my Partridge Family lunch box!), the blue ice thingee, and the “sides” that  they want.  I’ll make their sandwiches for them.  They also need to remember to bring a snack (I don’t actually know if 4th graders bring snacks, but they did in 3rd grade) if they didn’t already pack that.

After school, they need to unpack their backpack and give me whatever I need to see (of course I’ll double check this) and start on their homework at whatever time we agree upon.

Regarding their schedule, I’ll start putting their activities on the kitchen calendar so they can check it every night when they are putting their backpacks together.  So if they have a cub scout meeting or something else after school that they’ll need a note for, they will have to remind me to write it.

Chores.  Hmmm, that’s a tougher one.  As it is now, they earn their allowance by doing chores, but only if they remember, not if I have to remind them.  This hasn’t worked out so well.  I have an idea to keep the same concept, but tweak it a little bit.  I just hate having to remind them to do the same things, day after day after day.  (One of those little things that annoys the heck out of me!)

So I think I’ll start with these little changes and if all goes well, expand from there.  Wish me luck!

Karen

HAS WINTER BREAK REALLY ENDED?

I’m beginning to think that winter break really didn’t end yet. After all, the kids haven’t been back to school for a full week yet since they got off for the holidays.

First, of course, was winter break. Then, their first week back, they got off Thursday and Friday for snow days. (Really, Thursday was the snow day, but Friday was just a COLD day. Can’t risk frost bite at the bus stop, I guess.) Then last week, the school had an Early Dismissal Day on Friday (to give everyone a jump on the 3 day weekend maybe?). So, in true Super Mommy form, I took our Cub Scout den to my gym for Rock Climbing! (So why is it that when a couple of the scouts are acting up, it turns out to be MY kids? Sigh.) Then, of course, today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, so no school again.

Looking ahead, if all goes according to plan (HA!), they should be in school for the next two weeks solid, then a week with a half day, then we have President’s Day.

Seriously, what do parents do who have to work full time? How do they deal with all these days off school?

All I’m hoping for is to get back to some sort of a schedule that doesn’t get interrupted by little people all the time! As much as I love the little people in my life, they do tend to get in the way sometimes, right? :)

Karen

How Long does it Take To do That?

So if you read my little "about me snippet", you know that I'm a writer.  A songwriter, mostly, but up for whatever comes my way.  This week I am in Nashville, chasing that songwriting dream. I know that I'm fortunate that I have a husband who supports me chasing a dream that requires me to be away for a week at a time.  I totally get that and don't take it lightly. 

BUT. . . . 

It is amazing to me how different it is when the one who is in charge of the kids travels. Here is an abbreviated list of what I have to think through and do before I leave town for a few days:

1. Schedule the trip around all school and spousal functions. GOOD LUCK.

2. Find and schedule and pay enough baby sitters to hold down the fort while the spouse is at work. This may mean three to four different sitters with a back-up plan or two. 

3. Get the house in reasonable order so things can be found. Read: Put everything in order and then all the things that need to be found- put them right out in plain view. On the counter. With florescent colored sticky notes with instructions.

4. Wash, dry, fold and put away the laundry.  I suppose they could do it while I'm away, but the result of having some of my delicates mixed in with the towels is unappealing. Plus, if he puts it away, I may never find it again. Ever.

5.  Prepare a few meals and put them in the freezer. Or just be okay with the fact that pizza contains the four food groups and if they eat it for the next four days, then, well, it's a balanced diet.

6. Put the book out where it can be found. Otherwise, I will be texted/called/e-mailed at all times.  And it's hard to be in a serious conversation with a publisher while saying,"Yes, honey, she needs tights, tap shoes and a leotard. And YES, you have to stay there the WHOLE time." 

7. Write out the schedule for the next 4-5 days. (Of course, mine is in the book. Yes, traveling like this is one big reason it was written). Send copies of the schedule to everyone involved- the hubby (yes, I DO actually e-mail it so that he will be able to find it), aunts, teachers, friends taking care of the kids, and every back up person I know. Yes. I am a little neurotic about it. Sue me.

8. Pack the kids' backpacks for the next school day. 

9. Oh yeah- pack my OWN clothes, supplies, writing stuff and put it in the car.

10. Kiss each child as they are sleeping and try not to split my heart in half knowing I'm not going to see them for the next 4-5 days.

11. Write cute "Mommy misses you!' notes and put them all over the house.

12. Try to get a some sleep in the few remaining hours I have- sometimes- before I have to leave.

So what does the one who is NOT in charge of the kids do? See #9. And you know that means about 20 minutes of packing, if that. OYE.

Somehow this feels a little lopsided.  Anybody got a book to help me?

Yours, happy just to have a few days away, even if it DOES take moving mountains,

Melissa