The boys start school a week from today.
To prepare, I wrote out a new schedule for the family that has me and Lester getting up at 6 a.m., and going to bed at 10 p.m. In between those hours, it is go, go, go, go go.
It is a very ambitious schedule that requires us to be on. the. ball. at all times, and leaves little room for spontaneity or screwing up or slacking off. In other words, I am sure I am setting us up for failure.
But we shall see. We're going to dry-run the schedule this week and see how it goes. Lester wants to start tomorrow, but we were at my Mom's all weekend, which means we did no grocery shopping/cooking or laundry, which means I have to cook tonight, which means I am already behind the 8-ball schedule-wise. So I think I will propose we start Wednesday. Or Thursday would be even better. Friday? Do I hear Friday?
Honestly (as you might sense), I don't really want to start at all. Mostly because I am NOT an early morning person, and I think I never will be. I am sluggish and sloppy in the mornings, and not my best self. Also, I just fundamentally do not like change. I have realized this over time. I like things the way they are, because I understand them the way they are. I have a little bit of latent anxiety about certain changes in life, and this transition is proving to be one of those ones that is making me a bit crazy.
What if waking up earlier makes me highly unhappy?
What if waking the boys up earlier makes THEM higly unhappy?
What if the boys hate school?
What if the boys hate US?
What if Michelle has trouble getting things done now that she has to leave the house every day -- with Clair -- to pick the boys up from school? What if that makes HER highly unhappy?
What if this pre-school stuff just disrupts everything?
These are the kinds of hyperbolic things I think about when I'm fretting about the change on its way. I can see intellectually that I am making mountains out of molehills. But emotionally, I can't stop myself. Hi, I'm Insane. Nice to meet you!
Anyway, I am also -- in turns -- excited about this new chapter in our lives. The boys will love school and their new teacher and friends, I know. And a month or so into this new schedule, it will seem as familiar as the one we live by now. C & D will learn so many new things, and Clair will benefit from at least a few hours every day of one-on-one time with Michelle, which will be very good for her, too.
It'll all be wonderful in the end, I know. Even if I'm a thousand times sleepier -- and I have to be a hundred thousand times more organized, it'll all be fine. There's coffee at the office. And Google docs.
Change is good, I keep telling myself. Change is good. Change is good.
3 comments:
Change IS good! I'm excited to hear how the boys love school.
I just have to ask: If 6 is so early, what time do you wake up in the morning now??? Dang girl. :)
I'm supposed to get up at 6:30. But I usually let Clair wake me up, and then I go get her out of her crib, bring her back to my bed, and lie there until it's 7 a.m. and I am late, late, late. It takes me a looooong time to wake up. :-)
Hi insane!
In response to this blog I have only seven things to say...
1. Waking up earlier WILL make you highly unhappy (at first) and then you will get used to it. 2. Not sure how it will initially affect the boys but again they will get used to it too. 3. The boys will love school. 4. They will eventually hate you but that won't come until the teen years (maybe preteen) so for now you are OK. 5. From everything you've ever said about Michelle she will be the one least fazed by the new routine. 6. And preschool will definitely disrupt everything (hint: read the beginning of this blog that referenced a new schedule.) 7. But in the end it will all be fine and I know you know that!
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