Didn't I just say that I was going to keep this week as easy as possible, minimizing the need to drive people to multiple activities while my husband is away? I distinctly remember making the plan to skip swimming on Tuesday, and take C to swim practice on Wednesday and Friday.
Ha. Ha-ha. This is why I hate planning.
I got an email from the swim coach on Monday - there were to be no practices on Wednesday and Friday. So. The *easy* thing to do was to skip swimming this week altogether. It is one of those things - a choice, a margin, a completely optional activity - there is no consequence whatsoever if C skips a week of swim practice. But... I felt so bad that she would miss the entire week - she likes swimming, and she was really improving her freestyle stroke last week, and I was worried that she would forget all she has learned without a chance to practice it at least once this week. I am sighing and shaking my head as I'm writing this - why is is that I feel compelled to pretty much bend backwards for things that are kind of trivial and optional? And then I complain about feeling overwhelmed and needing to be in 5 places all at once... Seriously, no idea what's wrong with me. I mean, if it was someone else in the same situation - I would be totally like "DON'T DO IT". But, anyway, Monday afternoon, I was frantically texting people with kids doing swimming on the same day as C to try and find a ride home for her...
Bottom line: it all worked out. Tuesday we hectic, but we managed to fit it all in: E's cross-country meet, a very rushed dinner, dropping C off at swim practice on the way to E's orchestra rehearsal (a friend would be giving her a ride home), E's orchestra rehearsal.... and let's not forget a full day of work and getting dinner ready. C and H, as far as I know, did all their homework and practiced while I was away. H helped with dinner prep and did some of the dinner dishes.
How do you manage unexpected change of plans? Do you have contingencies for multiple scenarios?
This is Daria. Writing from my phone.
ReplyDeleteI can absolutely relate to wanting the kids to go to an activity so that their learning is consistent. I still take R to jiu jitsu although it’s optional to do twice a week but I still take him. Things we do for the kids…
This was a tough week for you, I hope you get some rest this weekend. When is partner back?
I can also relate to working the whole day, then activities, then dinner. On days like that I have absolutely nothing left .