Wednesday, March 12, 2008

You Parents Have My Total Respect

My youngest brother travelled to Alabama to visit my uncle this week. I was charged with taking his two daughters to school Monday and Tuesday mornings. I had no idea what in the world you all had to deal with getting kids off and out to school every morning. My goodness.

First let’s start with Monday morning. They spent the night with my brother’s fiancĂ©e and I picked them up from her house. The youngest one (aged 9) comes out of the bathroom still in her pajamas. I said, “Girl! Where in the world are your clothes?” “I don’t know.” she says. Apparently she forgot to pack them in her little bag the day before. So I had to drive her to her house, have her change her clothes then get her off to meet her school bus. I pick them up after school and bring them to my house to spend the night! Yippeeee!!! Quality time with my babies! Let’s start with the fact that these little rug rats (aged 9 and 13) were in no mood to go to bed at 11:00pm. Mind you we had to get up at 5:15am to get off on time. I don’t think you heard me… 5:15 AM!!! Once I coerced them into bed after pleas of “I’m not sleepy.” “Can I finish this game?” “Can I have some juice?” it was all good. In the midst of all this my brother called and asked if the girls did their homework. Homework? Oh yeah. Ummm, kids still get that don’t they? DRATS!

The alarm blared at 5:15 almost making me jump out of my skin. Damn! We JUST laid down.

I walk into their room to wake them and of course I had to yank them out of bed and drag them across the floor by their feet into the bathroom across the hall because gentle pleas of “Come on girls. It’s time to rise and shine.” And then moment’s later, returning to the room, “Come on girls. Time to get ready for school.” just were not working.

Once I check for the 20th time that they were indeed up and out of bed I proceeded to get myself ready for work. Once we were all dressed I had to tell them 5 times to make up their bed before we left. I went into the bathroom they were using and put their wash clothes into the dirty clothes hamper and take their toothbrushes to them because they were surely about to leave them in my bathroom at my house.

Then, once all of that madness was over we had to load up my truck with their clothes and book bags and games and such. Oh my!

We get in the car and it dawns on me, 'I can’t send these girls off to school without breakfast.' You see, breakfast didn’t even enter my mind…until we were in the car the next morning on the way to school. So we make a beeline to McDonalds and get them some of that greasy goodness that will surely get their day started off just right.

Oh, yeah…you parents have my complete respect and admiration for doing this crap EVERY FREAKIN DAY!

39 People saying stuff:

laughing said...

Do you normally skip breakfast?

Don said...

LOL. I remember when I had to do the "getting up" with my daughters. It was okay, but it definitely made me have newfound respect for all who did the same.

Anonymous said...

Ah! i so feel you! I had to stay at my moms to help my little brother (9) get ready for school the next day and i was traumatized! I had to get him up, fix him breakfast, let him watch cartoons, make him finish his breakfast, get ready, get dressed, get backback and school work and get myself ready by 7:20 AM!!! what! No wonder my mother gets up at 5 in the morning!

Vi said...

They musst think you are thre greatest Auntie EVER letting them have Macca's for breaky!

Anonymous said...

Who needs the pill?!?!?

shorty said...

Thank you.

It's not an easy job, but once you do it for awhile, it's so routine and the kids get it.

They were just having fun with you and taking advantage of their little "vacation".

Half the time, my kid is eating a pop-tart in the car.

Getting them ready in the morning is the easy part, they are half asleep and don't talk. It's all the other times you want to rip their hair out, or yours : )

ME said...

Welcome to my world. Yes, I do that. Every. Single. Day. But damn, you should make it sound exhausting.

Anonymous said...

OMG!! I may have to delay motherhood for a few more years!

Brittany said...

That's exactly what I am saying. I am just not ready to be a parent yet.

Chari said...

Ha Ha! Lol, that sounds like fun! Lol, jk.

And to think...I want to have me some little ones....ooo wee!

But that used to be us! Lol. Karma boy...

*~*Cece*~* said...

Oh yeah, its a rough job, that's for sure. My 9 & 6 year olds are in bed AT 9pm b/c 6am comes mighty early & they don't like it. I go in, turn on the lights, greet them--LOUDLY--then tell them they have 10 more minutes while I shower. They're still not up. lol

Sounds like you did a good job!

CarmenSinCity said...

I can't even imagine. I have a hard enough time getting myself to work in the morning.

Mizrepresent said...

Yep, not an easy task but something we get used to...but there are so many other joys lady...just you wait!

Tired of being broke said...

This why I love being an auntie.

Karen said...

lol. When my cousin went into the hospital to have her youngest, I was in charge of the 2 older kids - 4 and 6 - for one night and one morning. Do you know it didn't dawn on me that kids might not like Starbucks on the way to kindergarten.

Lucky I haven't procreated.

lisa q. said...

haha...it ain't as it as it looks huh girl? god, i'm glad mine are grown! :D

minijonb said...

I'm not sure I have the parenthood gene. Other people tell me I do, but I think they are kidding me.

Adrianne said...

Ha, welcome to my world. My children will not go to bed unless I promise I will cook them a warm breakfast in the morning. Besides being a short order cook I am taxi driver, dentist, nurse, therapist, teacher, preacher, bitch and ambassador. And I still have time to make dinner ( yeah, I go to one of those places that makes it for you).

Sounds like you did a great job, when can I drop my children off with you?

david mcmahon said...

You made me chuckle WITH you, not AT you.

Thanks for the great comment on my rainbow post - I'm intrigued that you don't get them too often in your neck of the woods.

KIKI said...

Ummmm...so does that mean no babies for you anytime soon? hehehehe

And here's a lil trick I learned...if I have to ask you more than twice to do something...best believe an ass whuppin will soon follow!

Then again..could be just me...but I'm just saying!LOL

So@24 said...

Mornings are ALWAYS the worst. I remember being a little kid and loathing getting up.

Totally reminds me of Calvin and Hobbes

Anonymous said...

Yah, but real parents know not to let the kids talk you into staying up that late. Better to have the 'just five more minutes' talk at 9 than at 11.

CC Solomon said...

I tell you, this is one of the scary parts for me with the whole having kids bit. I really want to be a stay at home mom for the first few years to be able to do this with a little ease. There are women out there doing this then heading off to work every day. I get exhausted thinking about it! Then they have to go home and cook... too much

Unknown said...

Boy do I commiserate. I have 5 children, 2 that are still in school. They're 17 and 13. I'm not sure which one's harder to get to school. It depends on the day.

The 17 y.o. refuses to take the bus, so I have to drive her. She almost always forgets something and we have to come back to the house, or at least wait in the driveway while she runs back to the house. Sometimes she'll have a fit she can't find certain clothes or books.

The 13 y.o. has to take morning meds. He doesn't want to take them so he'll either lie and says he has it or have a total fit. He doesn't like school so he pretends to be sick a lot. Sometimes they fight over the bathroom.

Oh yeah, kids are fun.

Pageant Mom said...

Yep, that's about right.

Here's a couple of my personal favorite situations with getting my kids ready for school each day:

10p.m. and we live 30 minutes from the closest grocery store....
"Mom I promised to bring snacks for our FIRST Period music class party TOMORROW"

6a.m. and Grandma is out of town on a bus trip:
"Mom, can Grandma pick me up early today? I have to get a paper finished I forgot to turn in yesterday and it requires a book I don't have so canshetakemetothebookstoretoo...???" (like I'm not going to notice what he said if he says it really really fast)

I keep a spray can of water in the fridge. If they don't get up when my husband or I call (we gave up on alarm clocks altogether), they get the spray - too bad, so sad... it's not like going to school each day is just a suggestion LOL

imbeingheldhostage said...

Bless you. All we (moms of way too many children) want is validation once in a while. And super bless you for standing in -- I'd sell my first born for someone like you! (let's not tell him that last bit though)

Cath said...

Bless you! I am laughing WITH you. Thank you for that validation of mums everywhere and I think you are a fantastic aunt for what it's worth! I have a sister who does maximum TWO nights holiday only not school runs with work and stuff! lol That's still good.

Over from David's blog. Glad I came.

soumynona said...

This is hilarious! Just another reason I am thankful for the "morning after" pill!!

OHmommy said...

Nice.

Thank goodness for McD.'s. LOL

Sandi McBride said...

I always laugh at my friends who say they're turning their grown childrens rooms into work out spaces or offices and then proceed to turn them into a shrine dedicated to to the youth of everyone involved!
Oh, and David sent me...as if you didn't know, lol
Sandi

La Cremiere said...

I had the opportunity to experience that when I visited my brother last month. The boys refused to go to sleep, on a few occasions, I fell asleep trying to put them to bed, only to be woken up 15 minutes later, because they were fighting. And of course, mornings was just as you described, except that their mom prepares breakfast the night before and the little was nice enough to remind me 'Where my breakfast?'. LOL.

Daryl said...

Cats are a lot easier .. as are houseplants..

Fun post!

David sent me

Ms.Honey said...

One of the many reasons why I'm so happy I dont have kids right now...I love my sleep.

Adrianne said...

Oh Diva did they still leave you tired and out of sorts? You haven't posted in awhile....

Jenny said...

LOL I had similar experiences taking care of my younger siblings years ago. Glad it made you appreciate your parents more!

The Ambiguous Blob said...

I am not a morning person. Note to self- find a man who loves mornings and have babies with him...

Ann(ie) said...

okay. This made me tired. But, I sorta know the drill. I have one busy munchkin and getting out of the house is HARD at six a.m. Lord help me when he talks and needs breakfast. feh.

Anonymous said...

My kids are perfect in every way. So I have no Idea what you are talking about.

Kidding, LMAO! It's freaking HARD,true, so so true. But worth it. That's why we do it every single day. :)

Miss Snarky Pants said...

LOL.

It's madness isn't it??? [Definitely NOT an easy task]!!

Glad to read you survived it tho. :-)

YOU GO GIRL!!!