Today started out as a Monday. I never really got the whole "Monday" thing until a few years ago. Today perfectly illustrates why SAHM's dread Monday's just like everyone else.
I was actually quite pleased when I didn't have to drag my kids out of bed this morning. They were all up and moving without any prompt from me and earlier than normal. I was thinking it was going to be a smooth morning. I started a load of laundry. Gasp! This is an unusual morning.
I came downstairs to find the TV off- an unusual site. Normally there's a blaring of some idiotic cartoon adding to the morning chaos, but not today. I left the remotes alone and enjoyed the absence of extra noise. I even asked child #1 to unload the dishwasher and guess what- HE DID IT!
Things were going quite smoothly. Mondays? Not here!
I spoke too soon.
This is a picture of my kitchen table clean. I am posting it here so I can remember what it looks like.
Upon returning from taking child #1 to school I walk in the house to find children #2 and #3 eating breakfast at the table. The TV is still off! It feels as if a miracle is occurring but the thought enters my mind just a moment too soon.
Before I know it #2 and #3 are spitting cereal at each other. REALLY!?? Let's get something straight here: These are not preschool age children, they are 8 and 11 years old for pete's sake!!! I holler their names in an attempt to get someone's attention hoping a lull in their antics will distract them long enough to stop the nonsense.
The ease of the morning so far left me in an unrealistic state. I forgot that when I speak my children go deaf. It's an interesting phenomenon really. I can yell so loudly that the neighbors hear, but my children don't hear a thing. I worry at first about their hearing but my fears are put to rest when #3 cries out in utter frustration because she can hear #2 breathing and she's sure he's doing it just to annoy her.
I manage to get a few more moments of peace a quiet before it starts up again. At this point I offer a prayer of thanks that I do not home-school and that in 20 minutes I'll drop them off at school. I've half joked before that I like my children so much more when they go to school all day. I'm not sure what the half part of the joke is. Going to school all day is a fabulous thing for them and me.
I can enjoy peace and quiet for the next several hours and when I pick them up at 3:15 I can see their cute faces walking towards the car and marvel at how much I love them. Then the door opens and they fight over who's going to sit where in the car and it starts all over again.
Until then I will enjoy my clean kitchen table.
HAPPY MONDAY!
Have a fun day!
ReplyDeleteMonday mornings are interesting. I always have such high hopes. I started off by finding that child number #2 left her ice packs in her lunch bag all weekend. It snowballed from there!
ReplyDeleteThis could easily be my house! The mess, the fights, the chaos. I love my kids, but I love when they are at school too :)
ReplyDeleteHaha that sounds all too familiar, except for the dishwasher thing, would never happen in my house, you'd think I had asked them to donate both their kidneys and half a lung rather than just unpack the dishwasher! Oh and your table is at least capable of being clean, mine is scratched and dented and covered in texta and glitter glue, but there is no point sanding it back and refinishing it until they have at least left home!
ReplyDeleteThat is too funny! Sounds a lot like my mornings, especially the sneak attack of a crazy day! :)
ReplyDeleteI can soooo relate!!
ReplyDelete...if they walked to school, they would be gone 20 minutes earlier... I'm just sayin' ;D
ReplyDeleteOh Emily ... you make me feel that my children and my frustration with their arguing is normal ... I thank you for that!! My daughters are 7 and 9 ... I HEAR you!! :)
ReplyDeletebrings back memories!! Over too soon though.
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