Alan stayed home from school two days this week. He had a fever and a stuffed up nose. Today he was able to go to school, but not willingly.
I spent a lot of time yesterday missing the walks to the park we took when he was smaller. And the times we built an elaborate train route together or played with play-doh. We spent the morning on the couch playing BrainAge and recording sounds to mess with on his DSi. He got in his reading and writing and a little math for the day. Then I told him no screens allowed for awhile. So we played a little Connect 4. We sang and played the piano - at least 8 verses of Old MacDonald and then repeats of favorite verses for longer than I imagined he'd stay interested. We read the last part of Wimpy Kid - The Last Straw. And we walked together to the bus stop to meet the girls when school was out. He dribbled the basketball up the street and shot a few baskets at a neighbor's basketball goal.
From the time the girls got home until a later bedtime than I liked we were busy with the pediatrician and choir and Julia's basketball practice. Holly did homework while Julia practiced, and Julia did hers quickly once we got home. It left me wondering where the time goes. And missing the days when everyone had fewer obligations.
Holly is supposed to be getting to school early for a couple of weeks to set out the chairs and ready the room. The class has chores they divide and rotate through by groups. The doors of the school don't open until 7. But today at 6:50 as I'm trying to find Alan's shoes and get everyone into the car Holly is telling me she asked her teacher what time she needed to get there to be of help with the chairs (since it seems by the time she gets to the room, the job is done) and was told 6:51 or 6:52. It doesn't seems right or fair or some word I can't think of. First, I needed to know earlier if she really needed to be at school that early. Whether it was up to Holly to tell me or up to the teacher to send a note - if the teacher really wanted her to be there I think that would have been best. But when we're already getting up at 6 to barely get out the door at 6:50... I don't want them to have to get up any earlier. If anything I want them to sleep more. Bedtime here is set at going to bed at 8 and lights out at 9 or earlier with reading in between. And they're tired and cranky at 6 am. Maybe having them dress before eating would speed things up, but more likely would just end with them not eating a good breakfast before school. And when they don't get to lunch until 12 or later, that's a long 6 hours.
Basically I enjoyed spending some time with Alan and having the time to devote to playing more with him while he was sick. I liked not having to wake him and rush him through eating and dressing to get to school. I liked snuggling on the couch and walking up the street together. I miss the days of everyone sleeping a little later. Doing lessons together - when Holly was homeschooling and Alan was playing and Julia didn't have to be at school until 8. When evenings weren't consumed by chaos and life felt more relaxed.
I told myself in January I'm going to enjoy the kids more - they'll only be these ages now. And days like yesterday just remind me of it.
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