Many people are curious as to how we manage 3 kids and 2 jobs.
Our girls are enjoying their last year at the same elementary school, which means next year will be more complicated...but I don't even want to think about that right now. Many days are day to day. I've learned to worry about today and plan for tomorrow and try to enjoy what we have now as much as possible. "Live in the moment" BUT there are moments that are just so difficult.
Today I had one of those moments.
So here is what our routine looks like:
Girls leave for school with daddy at 7:15/20 (tardy bell rings at 7:30)
Mommy takes Liam to school then heads to work around this time, arriving at work by 8am.
Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday Daddy picks the girls up from school and they come with him back to work. This isn't ideal. We have had sitters/tutors/nannies for the girls in the afternoon but it's expensive and they aren't doing their homework...so it's kind of been a bust. After-school at the school is terrible...I'll save that for another post someday. I do look forward to the day they are old enough to be latch key...but that gives me anxiety.
We have found this routine to be a good solution, FOR NOW. On Mondays & Wednesdays I pick them up from the soccer field at 5pm then head to get Liam by 5:30 (when daycare closes) I hate that he is there for 10 hours a day but it is what it is. We go home and do dinner, baths, homework & bed. Daddy gets home around 8:30/9pm.
Tuesdays have become known as "Taxi Tuesday"; here's why:
Daddy picks girls up at 2:30, goes back to his office. I drive to pick them up at 4:15, drop Jade off at choir practice by 4:30; then shuttle Ava across town to soccer practice by 5, throw her out the door, go get Liam which is another 10 minutes down the road, rush back to pick Jade up by 5:30 and then BACK to the choir practice to pick up Ava by 6. WHEW! Then we go home and it's dinner time at 6:30, homework (because usually daddy can't get them to do it all) baths then bed by 8:30. That is the craziest day of the week. It is also the reason we do not allow the girls to do more than one activity after school right now. I just can't handle it.
We justify the girls going to Ted's work in the afternoon 3 days a week because he works more than 12 hour days those days. Luckily he is in charge and it doesn't really bother anyone....today.
On Thursdays the girls go with a group of kids after school to the church next door for homework, singing & bible study activities. This is their only religious experience for the week (Church on Sundays will be a whole other post) and for that I am thankful.
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Fridays are my days, a compromise for Ted doing so much picking up throughout the week.
Problem with Fridays are that they are very unpredictable for me. Most of my business comes from people who walk in and get information, I had two of these today while I was out picking up the girls. Usually I can bring them back here and they can entertain themselves and they're pretty well behaved, running around in the yard outside, helping the front desk, etc. BUT today Jade had a meltdown and wouldn't settle. It was a tough decision on what to do.
My choice were:
a) force her to chill out and go to my office (NO)
b) take them to daddy or
c) go home.
C is not really an option right now as things at work are kind of weird and I had to meet with two different groups of people...talk about a recipe for disaster! SO I called Ted and he told me to bring them to him.
Mommy guilt kicks in on days like today. When I know her entire meltdown could be fixed with a trip to get ice cream after school and then cuddles on the couch. But so many times I have to choose work.
Today sucked.
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