Twenty-two times! TWENTY-TWO! Good grief.One or two is understandable. Bound to happen. We’re all human.
But, how exactly do a mom and her son manage to be late to school TWENTY-TWO times in a single school year?!
It’s criminal, really -- and downright embarrassing.
We want to be on time. We hope to be on time. We pray to be on time.
But then we’re late. Again. And again. And again …. And again.
I leave far too many tasks until the morning and then run around like a raving lunatic completely baffled as to why this is happening for the 475th time. I’m a smart woman. Really. I am.
Here's the morning scenario I crave:
Micah and Molly wake up cheerfully to alarm clocks and jump out of bed.
Molly and Micah (in unison): Good morning, Mother! You look beautiful this morning!
Micah: We’d love to talk more, Mom, but we have to go get dressed in the clothes we laid out last night.
Children emerge five minutes later.
Molly: I’ll make my lunch now. You always buy such nutritious and delicious lunch choices, I have a hard time choosing what to pack! And I’ll pack Micah’s too. I garner such joy from doing acts of service for my brother.
Micah: While Molly’s making lunch, I’ll make our breakfast. Put up your feet, Mom. You deserve a break.
We eat breakfast and exchange meaningful and witty banter.
Molly: Sit down, Mom. I’ll clear the dishes and load them in the dishwasher.
Micah: Okay, time to brush our teeth!
Molly leaves for the bus stop. Micah and I leave for his school with time to spare.
Here's my real-life morning scenario:
I wake up too late.
Me: Micah, your alarm went off 10 minutes ago. Time to get up.
10 minutes pass
Me: Time to get up, Micah. NOW!!
10 more minutes pass
Me: I’m coming in there with the spray bottle. NOW!!
Micah: NOOOOO!!! OKAY, OKAY ….I’M GETTING UP!!
The only items that are dirty in the house are the ones that the children decide they MUST wear today or life as we know it will cease.
Me: Time for breakfast!
10 minutes later
Me: Your breakfast is cold.
10 minutes later
Me: You have exactly five minutes or you’ll go hungry today!
Micah finally consumes his breakfast.
Me: Okay, brush your teeth and we HAVE to go!!
Some mysterious force then prohibits him from making it from the breakfast table to the bathroom.
Me: We gotta go, NOW! Molly, your breakfast is still on the table. You’re on your own!
Micah: I can’t find my book bag!!! I need money for my field trip!!
Me: How many days until summer??
I want to say it's his fault. But he's the child. I’m the adult. I have to set better boundaries, give more consistent consequences. I have to have a PLAN. Novel concept.
(Molly's older and goes to school an hour later so we don't have these issues as much anymore.)
School is starting in mere days. Here's some things I PLAN to do differently:
1.) I will make lunches and iron clothes the night before, with the goal of enlisting the kids' help so they take more responsibility for themselves.
2.) I will make sure field trip forms and lunch money is taken care of the night before.
3.) I will get up earlier.
4.) I will make sure they put book bags at the door the night before.
5.) I will offer periodic rewards for being on time for a certain number of days in a row and consequences for the opposite.
6.) I will remember Proverbs 15:1: A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. (New Living Translation)
7.) I will remember Proverbs 15:1.
8.) I will remember Proverbs 15:1.
9.) I will remember Proverbs 15:1.
So how about you? Do you have any great ideas for making mornings smoother around your house this school year? (Or am I the only time-challenged parent in the blogosphere?!)
WOW!!! It sounds like you were getting my kids up for school! I do everything on your wish list (for the first two weeks at the most) but once the kids have worn all of their new clothes and homework sets in...everything goes back to "normal"!
ReplyDeleteWith a couple of weeks left before school starts, I have started them on the school routine hoping to get all the complaining out now...I'll let you know how that works out.
Christine
Mornings are awful things! Love your wishful scenario and then the real life one:)
ReplyDeleteChristine, I am so with you ... I start out blazing and then flicker out quickly. I'm trying to find the "magic" plan that will stick! Does it exist??
ReplyDeleteGood idea about starting the school routine now. Mine start Monday, so may be too late for that! Prayer ... lots of prayer!
;0)
How funny! I haven't gotten there yet cause my little one isn't in school yet but we go through the same scenario when getting ready for church. It is soooo embarrassing walking in, in the middle of worship - I have been trying to implement some of the same things you plan to do and it works....at least sometimes it does LOL!
ReplyDeleteThank the good lord I never had that problem because I HATE to be late. I REFUSE to be late. My kids would have been up at 2 a.m. if they even thought about being late. :)
ReplyDeleteI started calling my son 'shiny object boy' because of his lack of morning readiness. Why does it take so long for a young boy to put on his shoes?! Anyway what worked for me was to start his morning WAY earlier than should really be needed for the few things he needs to do. He wakes up an hour before we need to leave the house. Then I give him a full 15-20 minutes to do his last minute brush teeth and hair and put on his shoes. Truly it should not take him that long to do these three things (but it does!). But now that I know he has plenty of time to 'observe the world around him' I do not stress or yell. :)
ReplyDeleteRoutines are the answer to our problem. If we make sure we have everything ready the night before and go to sleep earlier. We have a chance that they will get up earlier. But I do agree with Christine, it is a good idea to start them on the school schedule a few weeks prior. My kids are usually early birds, but when it comes to school, its another story. But so far, they did well last year. No tardies. At least they made it to school, right before the bell rings.
ReplyDeleteI try to get things ready the night before as well but then that means I get to bed later and it's harder to get up in the morning--vicious cycle...
ReplyDeleteGood luck! Love #6-#9 on your list.
I have an award for you, if you'd like to have it.
ReplyDeleteSweet dreams.
I have exactly the same senerio in the mornings at my house.
ReplyDeleteI have started making lunches and leaving their clothes out every night though as this saves heaps of time.
I'm STILL working on the getting up earlier part and we make it 2 mins before the bell rings almost everyday.
alas- they may have to start being accountable and miss breakfast getting hair done or something that has a consequence they do not like ==
ReplyDeleteset the clock ahead 5 minutes for everyone as if you are like you will forget it is 5 minutes ahead-
it has been so long since I fought that battle that my hints have left me-
Hilarious!!!! I LOVE your honesty!
ReplyDeleteI will say that my Key that unlocks the day is getting up early. If I do not get up early - at least 30 minutes before the family - I feel one step behind the entire day!
I love your list! You can do it!!!
well, I'm with you. I don't know how many tardies we had, but it was more than 10. ridiculous. sometimes my fault, sometimes his, often both.
ReplyDeleteHe starts a new school this year where if they have 4 tardies in one quarter he must serve detention--or I serve detention! wow.
Good thing his father is taking him this year... :)
Uh, mornings are tough aren't they? I love how you would like them to greet you in the morning in unison! I think trying to establish some sort of routine helps, but no matter how you slice it, mornings are challenging!
ReplyDeleteWish you the best - our school doesn't start this year until 9:00! Hopefully that should be plenty of time, since my kiddos never sleep in!
ReplyDeleteLoved reading this post! I am not a mother but I am a teacher and it is hard for me to be on time too. So, my goal this year is to use your tips to get myself out the door earlier! I can't believe that they start back on Monday! My students don't start until the
ReplyDelete17th...Yeah!!!!!
We start early in our district (7:40). My youngest is definitely not an early riser (and neither am I!)
ReplyDeleteMaking sure clothes are out and backpacks ready the night before has helped. But we haven't found any cures for the grumpies yet.
I used to say "ten minutes.."
ReplyDeleteand now when I wake up my little guy he also says, "ten more minutes..."
Iron clothes? Maybe it's time to get wrinkle-free clothes :)
Paperwork from school - I'm not good with those! I'm always losing them...
We are only a block a way from school, and you see me and my little guy running to school everyday!
If I give myself extra 20 minutes, then for sure, we'll be on time.
Just have fun and Good-luck...
I'm not necessarily a parent (obviously), but the parents I work for are chronically late so I know where you're coming from. Here's how I deal:
ReplyDelete1 - I wake up about 30 minutes before I think I really need to, go into the kids' rooms, and tell them this is their first warning, and they will get one more before I drag them out by their hair. I make sure to get a verbal acknowledgment of this threat before I leave for the kitchen.
2 - I make breakfast & pack lunches (15 minutes)
3 - I go into the kids' rooms again and tell them this is their second warning, and if they do not get up on their own soon they will suffer the consequences. Then I set out their clothes, if I haven't done it already.
4 - I wake them up when they actually have to get up, and breakfast is already set and their lunches are packed & bags are by the front door.
5 - They go straight to the kitchen, eat, brush their teeth, and are out the door with minimal effort on their part.
6 - I go back to sleep. I would not be able to get up at 6am if I didn't promise myself I could have a 1 hr nap from 7-8 after the kids left. Then, I'm still awake in time to be productive with my day.
Hope you can use some of this! Knowing I will allow myself a nap really helps me get up, try that!
I can see myself here! My eldest starts school in 1 weeks time. It will be his first ever day at school! I need to get organised. LOVE your bio and glad to have found this blog. Pondering joining in your challenge but too afraid!
ReplyDeleteCollette xx
Saw this post on the Juice this morning and thought you might be interested.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.blogher.com/groups-forums/juice-tropicana-trop50/organizing-back-school