If my ability to find time to post on a regular basis recently is any indication of the near future...umm.....I may have to go to an every 3 day or so schedule. Whew! Between getting my classroom ready for my preschool students, getting the boys ready for school, getting everyone geared up for soccer and cub scouts and getting the pantry/kitchen stocked for school days...I have NO TIME! As each school year begins, we find ourselves adapting to a new normal and this year is no exception.
Last year I taught 2 days a week and it seemed to be OK as far as family/home front was concerned but I ended up doing quite a bit at home (what teacher doesn't?), so I am hoping (ha-ha) that since I'll have one more day with the kids at school, I'll be able to get more of the projects done at school. Another change-Bill's job has him out of the house by 7am, where as last year he was able to help get the kids out the door. So 3 mornings a week will find me crazy getting 6 of us ready to get out the door by 8:20 am. Do-able, yes. Enjoyable-no. Hopefully Nana and Papa can lend a hand getting them to the bus one or two days!
In a week that already seems 3 days too short, this is what we must cram into it.
Monday: All 5 have soccer practice
Tuesday: Eric's cub scout night
Wednesday: CCD/3 older boys soccer practice
Thursday: G and J's cub scout night
Friday: Soccer skills night/L and L soccer game night/juggling monthly cub scout pack meeting
Saturday: older boys' soccer games
Sunday: Church/piano
Yep, I know. We start the 8 week soccer season saying 'can't wait for it to be over'. Not because our kids don't enjoy it, not because we as parents/coach of 2 teams don't enjoy it. Simply because we feel SO very far behind with anything else that needs to be done. The house suffers, the piles grow, the projects build up. And then I have to remind myself and Bill that we really can't expect anything else with a family of 5 kids. Unless of course we kept them from participating in ANY activities, which isn't fair either. As off-handed and stereotypical as this may sound, I am thankful that our kids don't fit the 'jock' type.......they do fine at soccer but they aren't going to grow up to join a big deal team (at least I don't think so).......they aren't very big and football was NEVER an option......we never even ventured into baseball because we knew how much time it required. Soccer fit them and I am so happy that's ALL that fit them!
And honestly, there are some possibilities we don't/can't even consider because we do have 5 kids and we cannot go 5 different directions every day of the week. Concessions have to be made-definitely a learning experience with a large family. We do our best and feel badly sometimes that perhaps our best isn't good enough. I can tell that these years are truly going to pass by in a blink. When they were babies, a week seemed like an extraordinary amount of time. Now? I can get from this week to December in the blink of an eye!
Well, it wasn't my intention to go on and on, but I did......that was probably pretty boring for you, but in 10 years when we read this it'll help us remember where we were. Because after all...the things I swore I'd never forget are slowly being pushed to the edge. Thank you blog!!
4 comments:
It's a crazy life! But one day you'll miss it - yes you will!
You can do it! I think streamlining interests is the only way to survive extracurriculars with a big family.
By the way, you forgot the garage sale and my shower, and...just kidding!
You busy, crazy family you!! If any two parents can make it work, it's you two!
Oh boy, do I feel guilty!! I only have two kids and don't work outside the home, and I still find myself running frantic from this place to that! Maybe we have too many activities going on?? Maybe I justify adding "just one more thing" by thinking "we only have two kids, we can do it!" You amaze me! I miss you!!
Hugs, Janet
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