Friday, March 30, 2018

Solo Parenting-A Progression


Rick has been on a six day work trip to Hong Kong. It's been exciting to see his pictures of what essentially looks like a different world.



Busy all the time.

Who doesn't enjoy eating spicy corn out of a bag?

Or squid?
Your guess is as good as mine.

While he's off having his big adventure, things are pretty much the same around here, though it has been funny to watch the level of enthusiasm I have for solo-parenting wane as the days progress. It's gone a little something like this:

Day 1: Prep breakfast smoothies, lunches, and set coffee timer after kids go to bed. Set alarm for early morning workout. 

Day 2: Worked out and showered/ready before the kids wake up at 6:00 am. Breakfast consumed, clothes on and everyone to school by 7:15 so I can get on the road for an out of town meeting. I am killing this. Dinner at a friend's house.

Day 3: Slightly less gung-ho. But still, smoothies are made, I am up and worked out before kids are awake, but had to shower while they ate breakfast. I heard screaming while I was in there, but whatever it was had been resolved when I got out. Got to school a little later than yesterday, but no big deal. Oh, what's that? Annie's sick and I need to come get her? Ok, I got this. Given the symptoms, I suspect she has strep and make an appointment immediately at the doc. Turns out I was right, and we get meds and hang out all day. By the end of the day, she seems to already be feeling better. Aunt Chaney to the rescue to take John to swimming lessons. Dinner at McDonald's because I just realized we have no food at the house other than smoothies and coffee.

Day 4: I got up about 35 seconds before the kids got out of bed. Smoothies were still made ahead of time and coffee was ready to go. Annie is home again all day, but seems to be 100% better, which dashes any hopes I had of getting much work done. I spend all day fetching snacks. Can't remember if I showered yesterday. Make more coffee. Dinner at Steak and Shake and bribe the kids with vending machine toys to get them to stop running around the joint. Consider we might be the first sober people to be kicked out of a fast food restaurant. Not sure I care.

Day 5: The children wake me up at 6:15. Have to deliver easter eggs to the neighbor's for the hunt tomorrow morning, and I don't have it in me to come  up with an elaborate lie about what's in the bag, so I just blurt out, "parents hide the eggs for this hunt, the easter bunny has way too much to do the day before easter. Get in the car. No, you can't see the eggs. They have candy inside them. No, you can't see what kind of candy." We barely make it to school before the final bell.

Tomorrow we have the egg hunt, a birthday party, egg dying, play dates and then Rick will be home tomorrow night and all will be right with the world. I am thankful he gets to have this adventure, but oh so thankful he is coming home so he can share this excitement with us. Plus, it's his turn to make the smoothies and coffee.

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