Back to school is so nostalgic and exciting. Schedules. New backpacks. Brand new markers, Elmer’s Glue, socks, sweet kicks (you know the Sketchers that light up… those!) Stocked kitchen….
9 months later…….
9 months into the school year….(well technically it is 10 months later for our family, because my daughter goes to Longfellow, which is a year-round school.)
Back-to-School Mom has it together.
End-Of-School-Year Mom is done. As in… barely holding on. Like failing daily on responsibility. Relying on my Kindergartener to remind me of daily activities.
My daughter informed me today that she has 8 days left. Good thing she is on task. So here I am, counting down the days and so ready for a school-free summer. It is so hilarious to me how opposite our family unit’s back-to-school festivities are compared to the CHAOS that is happening in our homefront right now.
Back-to-School Mom has planners that are filled and being used.
End- of-the-School-Year Mom hasn’t opened her planner in over a week.
Back-to-School Mom has a menu for the family and even follows it!
End-of-the-School-Year Mom orders pizza and goes to Culver’s weekly.
Back-to-School Mom combs and styles her kids hair. I am a Hair Stylist, people. There are no excuses.
End-of-the-School-Year Mom might miss the opportunity to even brush her kids hair.
Back-to-School Mom gets dressed before walking outside.
End-of-the-School-Year Mom wears her red robe proud in the neighborhood, while sending off her daughter on the bus, with a coffee mug in hand. Confession: This morning I was in my robe with no pants on underneath. JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL.
Back-to-School Mom gives her children variety in their meals. As in, switches it up every day. Mondays are salami and carrots. Tuesdays are turkey and blueberries. etc.
End-of-the-School-Year Mom gives her kids granola bars for every meal and hopes for the best. Of course, we aim to switch up the flavors with each meal. Well, right.
One more disclaimer that leads to more embarrassment:
Back-to-School Mom has a goal of avoiding pantry snacks and likes to keep it fresh. All things still living…… a beautiful assortment of color.
End-of-the-School-Year Mom lives out of the pantry. crackers. granola bars. applesauce pouches. fruit strips. juice pouches. raisins. and chips lots of chips.
One more…..
Back-to-School Mom leaves cute notes in the lunchbox for her kids.
End-of-the-School-Year Mom verbally tells her daughters that she loves them! Who needs a note?
Back-to-School Mom has a bathing schedule for her offspring. Every other day, bedtime bath. Easy.
End-of-the-School-Year Mom can’t remember the last bath her kids had.
Why is this? Kids are so nasty this time of year! The sweat, sunscreen, dirt, chemicals sitting on their skin from outside, and here they are being given bathing options. I am failing!
Back-to-School Mom has her kids go in at 7ish for a wind-down routine. bath. books. chill.
End-of-the-School-Year Mom lets her kids play till dark or even past and then pays for it in the morning.
Back-to-School Mom looks through the backpacks for homework, books to read, notes from the teacher when her children get off the bus. This way we know what to expect for our evening and all.
End-of-the-School-Year Mom checks it if she’s lucky when throwing the granola bars in the backpack right before her daughter catches the bus. super.
Back-to-School Mom checks emails.
End-of-the-School-Year Mom avoids. Lets just leave it at that.
Back-to-School Mom is excited for all the opportunities to volunteer and serve.
End-of-the-School-Year Mom…. well doesn’t check emails, remember? So, there is none of that happening.
Back-to-School Mom reads to her kids.
End-of-the-School-Year Mom downloads books and apps on the iPad. Can I just admit one more thing with you, please? I thought I would add to the shame. Teaching your kids to read is the real deal! My daughter brings home a book a day for her to read to me. Can I just say that it can take 20 minutes for her to read 4 pages. On each of these pages, there is ONE SENTENCE. We end up fighting, she tells me I am wrong when correcting her, or my favorite, I try and throw a word in there to speed things up and she ends up on the floor crying. Just being real, but this reading thing is going to kill me. (Please tell me I am not the only one!)
Back-to-School Mom gets her kids up to at least give them 60 minutes to get it together.
End-of-the-School-Year Mom wakes her kids with 20 minutes to shower, get dressed, brush hair/teeth, eat a granola bar, pack a lunch……..yup, that happened today. Even worse, earlier this week, I called the school (for the first time) to communicate that our daughter would be late cause she was still sleeping. I told you, I am barely holding on people. Say a prayer.
Are you with me? Who wants summer? I love the process. Life is about ups and downs. Having it together and struggling. I am calling out to my mama tribe, my Hot Hus, and my people to help. We are in the home stretch. Summer is approaching and we are so ready. Let’s celebrate our kids. Let’s thank the teachers for being rock stars and my heroes. Let’s breathe in the day and reflect. Let’s be honest and focus on keeping our kids safe, fed, loved and not beat ourselves up for the things that are crumbling. The end is in sight. The angels are singing, Hallelujah!
Signing off so I can go pick up pizza for dinner,
End of the school year mom
