Back to school went off without a hitch. The kids love their teachers, adjusted well and didn't complain or cry at drop off (yes, even the 2 year old!). Wednesday was the practice run with kindergarten orientation and a 3 hour day at first grade. Then, Thursday I had all 3 kids off to their respective schools. I dropped off 2 of them and the 3rd was picked up by her carpool.
On Friday I ran 2 carpool runs- to first grade and to preschool. Kayla, the kindergartener was again picked up by her carpool.
Friday was quite stressful. I was convinced it would be impossible to make 3 carpool runs in one day, a feat I hope to accomplish Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. On Friday, the first grade drop-off line was LONG, to say the least. It took me 10 minutes to get through the lot. The school makes rules to expedite drop-off, but for some reason the parents were not abiding to these rules. For example, all cars are to come from one direction so that no one should be turning left into the lot. The cars trying to make that left not only added to the length of time to get into the lot, but blocked the exit for the cars who needed to turn left after drop-off.
On Wednesday and Thursday, the kids had lined up indoors due to the weather. On Friday they were finally going to be lining up outside. My daughter looked quite confused when I dropped her off as she did not know where to go and I of course directed her to go inside as she did the previous days. I only realized later that she was supposed to line up outside. And then I got emotional.
On my way to do the next pickup (preschool carpool) I was already stressed and late and I felt terrible for making my friend late too.
My only thoughts were:
HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DO 3 CARPOOLS WHEN 2 ARE HARD ENOUGH? WHY CAN'T THERE BE BUSES?
Today is Monday and you will be happy to hear that I left 5 minutes earlier to the first-grade carpool and it was a breeze! I was in and out in 2 minutes and back on time to pick up carpool # 2. I had plenty of time to do another carpool (the kindergarten run on Tuesdays and Wednesdays) before driving to preschool. Today I restored calmness to my back to school madness and hope that tomorrow proves easy.
I have committed myself to 3 morning carpools and I think (and pray!) they just might work out!
Wow. 3 carpools sounds very tough. Makes me glad that all 5 of ours are at the same school and we have no carpool (obviously because they fill a minivan on their own). In our case, we drive all 5 to school, and even though there are usually 2 drop-off points (early childhood and the rest), we park and simultaneously drop off the older ones and then walk the younger ones in to the building and each of them to the doorway of their classroom.
ReplyDeleteI hope the routine settles in and it goes smoothly most of the time!
I think you just added another reason to make aliyah! Right now, I walk my two three minutes away to gan. Next year, if they are more than 10 minutes away by foot, they will go in a paid hasaah. End of story!
ReplyDeleteYou are supermom, though.