At the end of September (this very month!) I will start school at Bella Institute. I will learn the art of hair design and it will make me feel oh, so very happy! I am so excited. And very nervous. Not nervous to learn a new skill, but nervous about the stress that this may cause my family.
See, my family is my first priority. I am committed to them. They pretty much rock. I want to be there to send my favorite kids off to school. I want to be there to welcome them home. I want to be be the soccer mom and take my kids to their activities. To know that they are having awesome experiences and staying active. And if my kids weren't in activities they would sit on their behinds in front of the TV. I know they would. That would = grumpy, grumpy mommy. The TV just tends to make me feel nutty.
So, with my school schedule...and it truly could not be a better schedule, I am in class from 9-2 Tuesday thru Friday. Eli and Ivy head off to school at 7:40 and arrive home around 3:00. Rylie and Sophia leave at 8:30 and arrive home around 4:20. So, I will have to leave to get to school on time before Rylie and Sophia head to the bus, but not much before. I'm feeling OK with that. And I should be home before Eli and Ivy get home from school. All will be well. Repeat. All will be well. I know it will.
Now here's the real point of this blog post. Kids activities. And how to make sure I am not over scheduling myself. Because it's mainly me that needs to be available to get them where they need to be. And even though we have a family rule that states: one activity at a time, when you have 4 kids in one activity at a time it still makes for a lot of driving back and forth.
Rylie is already committed to cheer. She practices two nights a week with games on Saturdays. Eli has the same schedule with soccer. These were scheduled and paid for before I had committed to school myself. Sophia really wanted to swim, but the only swim team she could join (all my fault. i totally spaced sign up's and we had to take what we could) was three nights a week from 7:45-8:30. Stressful! So, we had a nice chat last night and she agreed to put off swim team until Spring and take a tween yoga class one night a week. This makes life much easier! Now to Ivy. Poor Ivy. Because of my space out regarding sign up's, all of the swim classes for her level are full. So as of now she's the only one with no activity. It won't kill her, right? And she refuses to go back to dance class, which would work out beautifully since it's literally two minutes away and only one night a week. It's OK, Ives. I'm not into wasting money and forcing kids into activities they aren't interested in, so you win. But I am feeling alright about it. I have to. She's 6 and is happy to go outside and play. And I need to not be so stressed about school, homework, kids activities and how to make it all work. Not to mention the laundry and dinner and everything else that needs to be done to run a household. If you were starting school how would you handle kids activities?
This year is going to bring some big changes. Matt really wants me to teach the kids to do laundry, like from starting it to folding it and putting it away, so they can help out more. I've shown them how before and they help out every once in awhile, but it's never been their responsibility. I'm not sure how I feel about this. Mainly because I start a load everyday, and I know if I go to start a load and there's already a load in there that one of my kids forgot to tend to, it will make me feel grumpy. And then I'll end up doing it for them anyways, because the thought of having to wait to start my load would make me feel even more grumpy. And I can't just dump wet laundry on the floor. My blood pressure is rising just typing about the scenario! I just need to think it through a little more. Hmm....any tips on that?
And our TV rule this year is NO TV until after dinner. And that's if homework is done and rooms are cleaned. Matt came up with that one. Isn't he wise? My vote was to just ban TV until Fridays, so this is our compromise. We'll see how it goes.
I just hope that things go smoothly. I've prayed about this and I feel really good about it, so things will work out. Tell me they will. And not to mention the incredible support I have from my amazingly hot husband and 4 beautiful children.
I am one lucky girl!
One thing I do know for sure, is that this is the right time for me to go back to school. And when I graduate I will be in a position to have an at home business. Just what I want. I. Can't. Wait! I will have learned skills that will benefit my whole family as well as my community. And it will be dang fun!
So, who's gonna let me chop on their hair?
6 comments:
Chop away, girl. My head's here for you any time just so long as you're not practicing crew cuts or flat tops....or mullets, I guess I'm too into that kind either.
You'll do great! I'm so EXCITED for you!!! Things always work out. It may be bumpy for a little while, but you'll work through all the bumps together and it'll make you all closer and give everybody new skills.
Can't wait to hear/read all about it.
Oh my, I have so much to say! First of all, my friend Stephanie told me you came to her to get your hair done. I told her you were going to school and she is so happy for you.
I love the TV rule. I think I'm gonna use that one.
It sounds like you've got the activity thing worked out. Yes, Ivy will be just fine with no extracurricular activity. Don't get sucked into the I-live-in-the-suburbs-hype and feel the need to have her in something just because everyone else is. She's 6, just like you said. the world is her playground. Let her be.
Laundry. last September we split the house into 4 different areas, one for each child and one for dad and mom to do together. The area changes each week. We are responsible for that area for the week. Our areas are Laundry, Dining Room & Bathroom, Kitchen, Family room & Living Room. That is their chore for the week. We have lists in each of the areas stating what it means for that area to be clean. At first I didn't know how the laundry thing was going to go. I had pretty much been doing it up to that point. But it has been great. all three of girls have learned to use the washer, dryer, fold and put away. Although all of their folding needs a little improvement. But hey, you gotta give a little, right? Teaching them to do laundry will really free up your time.
You are embarking on a new adventure and I love it!
Everything is going to work out!
What's it like having your last child in first grade? I've had little kids home for so long I can't even imagine it.
I wash and dry the laundry, and then the kids fold their own and put it away so that I still have control over the washer/dryer, but not stuck with all the folding. It has worked really well for us for over 7 years.
Good luck!
I think that you have it all figured out! You're going to do great and the schedule couldn't be more perfect.
Good luck! I'll come in when I need my next haircut so keep up posted when you get on the floor!
Oh, I would totally let you at my hair with scissors! You can totally do this juggle. (And my kids only do towels for now. No precious items can shrink or transfer their color that way!) And if Ivy decides to learn guitar for her activity... Call me!
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