By the time I got home yesterday the kids were all squeaky clean and their outfits were chosen for today and they actually stuck to their outfits this morning, which was pretty awesome. I did a little mental round of applause. With the focus on mental.
But.
Then.
We were way ahead of schedule (cue anther mental little round of applause), everyone was dressed and ready to go and then:
They decide they each want to take something to school which is not allowed at all as it gets out of hand very quickly. It’s like they spend their nights thinking up ways to torture us in the morning.
Enter negotiations on what is allowed and what not:
Yes to the broken crown Daniel wanted to take for his best friend.
Yes-ish to the handbag Mignon wanted to take as it had to stay in the car. It has worked very well in the past as they somehow feel like they have won a little. But clearly that also backfired this morning as Etienne had drama about the bag when he dropped the girls off.
Absolute no to Isabel scratching around in the playroom, bag on her back, looking for something, anything to take with whilst everyone is already sitting in cars. I tried leaving her in the house and realized halfway out the door that, left unattended, she would probably pack in the TV, so I headed back in. She wants to take something for the teacher she says. By now I’d really had her in chunks, she’s consistently been our weakest link handicap most difficult most challenging the hardest to get mobilized this week. So I herd her down the stairs and into Etienne’s car, sobbing.
At which point I had a moment. I realized: all she really wants is to take something for her teacher. Followed by Oh Faaaak, I have nothing to give the Teacher and why didn’t I anticipate this and it’s ALL my fault and I’m such a bad mother and all the other kids are going to go to school with awesome Mother’s Day gifts for the Teachers and my life is a mess and Oh Look! Green Lollipops!
So, Isabel went to school, happy as a lark with a green lollipop for each teacher. And she smiled at me through those tears and the gratitude on her face almost took my breath away. How’s that for a complete emotional roller-coaster ride before you have even leave the house?
It really is the little things. I must keep remembering it really is the little things that make or break their day.
Ps: I feel like I’ve been writing about Isabel this whole week, I’m going to spend some extra time with her over the weekend.
I think my C man also need a bit of one on one time. He just seems a bit edgy.
But yes, it is the little things and faark! I di dnot even think about teachers.