There’s some concern about going back to school at our house, and then there’s some general freaking out. Sadly, it’s me doing the freaking out, and I can’t really figure out why. I’ve had to convince myself that it’s NOT tomorrow for the last couple of days. Right now, minutes before midnight, stew is cooking in the crockpot for their lunch. Not tomorrow’s lunch, but the day after tomorrow. They have enough clean laundry to cover the next 2 weeks at my house, and we went out and bought my daughter some jeans, not because she needed them, but because I needed her to have them.
Sigh…
Backing up a few days, Labor day weekend was mine on the rotating schedule, but the parenting plan says that odd years, labor day weekend is hers. She didn’t notice this bit of trivia, and near the last minute, she kindly offered to let me have the kids over the holiday, and she’d just go ahead and take next labor day, and we’d adjust the parenting plan so she’d now have even years. So my plan of plodding through a 3 day weekend, getting things done between bouts of napping and motorcycling was tossed out the window in exchange for boat maintenance, and a full day on the water on Sunday. An excellent day, beautiful weather, great scenery, and generally happy kids. Monday followed with a variety of kid activities, laundry, grocery shopping, dinner, and the evening routine. So my schedule is off.
I can’t even remember how I did this last year. I think I was still so overwhelmed by the divorce that I was running on auto-pilot, which may have provided the kids with a more stable parent than they’re getting this year. We’re supposed to find the pink folder with last year’s math problems for my 8 year old. I’ve never had to go find last years work before. I’m not even sure it’s here. It could be at mom’s house, it could be part of the 90% post consumer grocery bag we brought home from Trader Joe’s on Saturday.
It seems that beyond the day-early stew that’s bubbling in the kitchen as I type, I’ve completely forgotten what I send for lunch. I went through the cupboards, and I think I have enough for at least 3 days of lunches without going to the store, which was a relieve, but I still feel a tension that is exponentially larger than it needs to be for an event like, getting them to school on Wednesday.
The kids appear to have their own stress over going back to school, although to a significantly lesser degree than me. Both are a bit edgy, but still in mostly good spirits. We had a good weekend, they seem to have had a lot of fun, even though they were told it was dad’s house, mom’s house, oh, no, it’s dad’s house, which has to be kind of a pain for them.
Here’s hoping Wednesday morning goes well.
