Situation: Monday-Friday, between the minutes of 8:50-9:10am, we all hate each other.
Background: Niamh and Finn want nothing more than to sit in front of the television and rot before leaving for school.
I want nothing more than to sleep until 7:15am.
I need an hour and a half to get ready in the morning. I know its hard to believe that the results seen after my morning routine take 90 minutes to achieve. Believe it. It could be much worse.
You might also find it hard to believe that hard bonnet dryers still exist and that gals under the age of 72 use them. Believe it.
After I awake at 7:15am, I go to the kitchen, grind some beans, start some coffee. Then, I call Niamh and Finn to come up for breakfast. Finn has Raisin Bran, Niamh has Frosted Mini Wheats. I tell them that before they go down to watch more television, they have to get dressed, brush their teeth, have socks on and know where their shoes, coat, and backpack are. Then, I get in the shower and start the process of making me look like the me I am in public…..which is very different than the me I look like when I’m grinding my coffee beans.
8:45ish, I skip down from my closet yelling at Niamh and Finn that it is time to leave. They never seem to hear me the first 3 minutes I’m yelling. I refill my coffee.
8:50 arrives with a lot of yelling and threats.
They can never find their coats. Niamh always chooses the wrong shoes, as in flip flops in the rain or dress shoes for gym day. Finn always has on yesterdays socks. Niamh’s hair is always a tangled mess and she can’t find her brush. I’m mad because now its too late to walk and its ridiculous that we have to drive 6 blocks and IF YOU WOULD ONLY GET READY LIKE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO AND STOPPED WATCHING TELEVISION, WE WOULDN’T HAVE THIS FIGHT EVERY DAY.
Yesterday it ended with NO MORE TELEVISION IN THE MORNINGS, EVER!
Assessment: This morning, they painted.
This is a mess that the adults will have to clean up. The adults in this house don’t like to clean up kid messes.
Recommendation: We need to negotiate a way Niamh and Finn can earn back television privileges.
2 comments:
Those are great paintings. I mean it. Who did them, Niamh or Finn?
Not that this is a great suggestion, or that I know anything, but I did read somewhere about setting a timer for getting kids ready.... that's all I got on that....
p.s.- your page picture, of Niamh and Finn- they look like such babies! I can't believe how old they are.
You are, perhaps, the funniest person I know. See Harris, that SBAR crap really was a great idea. Look at the probs it's solving in the Westover household. Just tell them you had a parent/elf conference with Elfa, and he/she wants the kids to not drive mommy crazy in the morning...or they get no Santa.
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