"Hello?" I said, out of breath from wrestling over a teddy bear and in no mood for chatting.
"Er, hello, it's Mr B from the school. We're ready to go on our excursion and we were just wondering if Joseph was on his way."
"Oh, but, er..." I spluttered. "The note said 9.30am."
"Oh no," he said, cheerfully. "That's 9.30 in [another town]. We really need to leave now to make it in time."
Silence.
"We'll be there in five minutes," I said, slamming down the phone and hitting the panic button.
Three minutes later, Mr8 was in the car, uniform on, hair brushed, teeth clean, lunch in place, bag packed. Mr5 sat beside him, half a uniform on, hair unbrushed, teeth uncleaned, lunch on the kitchen bench, no bag. I'd managed to put on a pair of tracksuit pants, and thongs, a t-shirt and sunglasses. We screeched out of the drive, screeched up the road, screeched to a halt two minutes later.
He made it.
At which point, Mr5 and I looked at each other, then slowly turned the car around to drive home and finish getting dressed.
Not a great way to start the day. But now that I know Mr8 can get ready in five minutes, our mornings are going to be very different.
Have you had one of those mornings lately?
[image: LisaStorms]
Ha ha ha! Yes. About once a month ...
ReplyDeleteOh yes, Ive been there too... Only I had to DRIVE to the other town (40 min away) where the bus was leaving from and then when we arrived it turned out that my little darling was wearing two left shoes.
ReplyDeleteGrrr
Oh my. Thank you Suzi. I feel so much better! :-)
DeleteOH I'm so sorry for LAUGHING all the way through this post AND Suzi's comment.
ReplyDeleteI think we've ALL had those days. My child managed to arrive with NO SHOES. Mother of the Year, right here.
I will do anything I can to avoid early starts. Our earliest commitment is an art class that requires us to leave home at 10am. Anything earlier than that just isn't worth it.
ReplyDeleteWe have those mornings far more often than I'd like to admit. Last Friday was one where we ran the entire way to school, having left home at 8:58. Bluey got to his class just as the other kids were hanging their bags up and entering. It was then we both looked at one another in horror. His homework. It was sitting on the bench at home.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, my kids take FOREVER to eat their breakfast, but only when we get up around 8am. If they're up at 7 nice and early with time to lesuirely eat, then it's down in 5mins, but if we're up later they take half an hour. Half an hour we don't really have. Go figure.
I think we have one of those mornings – every morning. But I have just started the 'lay your clothes out night before' and 'get dressed before you leave your room in the morning' policies and these seem to be working brilliantly. It's as if McCool needs a whole night to decide 'OK, this is what I'm wearing today'. Seems to work a treat, thank God. Before that, it was taking hours, and on top of breaky, couldn't get anything organised. I also find if I've had a shower and race him to get dressed, that's what he loves best of all, and takes about three minutes.
ReplyDeleteI am giggling. I haven't done that (yet) but I am sure it won't be long! x
ReplyDeleteWay too familiar!
ReplyDeleteOh school days, I remember them well.
ReplyDeleteLunches made and in the fridge the night before. Up and in the shower then dressed before the kids were up. School bags complete with homework ready by the front door as each one went to bed the night before. Routine, routine, routine, with no deviations (unless a child was ill). It was the only way for me.
Rigid much?
sounds like my morning two days ago when i was cruising around the house in my pj's till i saw the spider spraying man's truck outside and remembered - we were being sprayed at 10 and had to get out of the house. it was the quickest, shower risnse, dress, collection of two year old I've ever completed!!!
ReplyDeletehaha they can move when they want too hey ? lol
ReplyDeleteShudder.
ReplyDeleteGlad he made it.
We used to have swimming lessons 40 mins away for all three kids, when they were 4,3 and 2 years old. Fecking chaos on a Sunday morning, let me tell you. But we somehow always managed it.
As a result, I am now the really annoying Mummy who chants every morning "you used to always be able to get ready on time when you were babies, why can't you now..."
I even irritate myself...
My goodness Allison! It is amazing what we're capable of when the pressure is on. I have a morning like that at least once a week. I particularly find when we have to be somewhere specifically or meet with someone, it gets a little nuts. But amazingly, mornings like those see us arrive right on time, whereas morning's where we have all the time in the world, see us arriving late! Go figure. Well done on getting Mr8 there in time xo
ReplyDeleteOh goodness, laughing and wincing at same time - I am all too sure this will one day be my reality! But hey, you made it! :)
ReplyDelete