One day D asked me how I keep track of everything....my own life and the kids' appointment and school pick-up times and whatnot.
It isn't rocket science. I have my paper calendar and my iPhone calendar that links to my computer calendar. I write myself Post-it notes in my paper calendar.
I also very regularly commit to things only to have to go back and cancel or reschedule. It is not unusual for me to look at my calendar and comment, "Well, shit" because I have double-booked myself or completely forgotten something that is a fairly routine event.
I have to write down stupid stuff that should be fairly ingrained in my head, like "Husband gets paid today" or "Take out recycling."
Sadly, I have even considered writing myself notes to remind myself to pee.
My weeks are chunks of somewhat unusable time.
Next week looks like this:
Monday--drive middles to school, 7(ish); volunteer at middle school bookstore, 9(ish)-12(ish); pick up from middle, 2:30(ish); pick up from elementary, 4(ish).
Tuesday--drive middles to school, 7(ish); piano lesson, 10(ish); occupational therapy for G, 2(ish); pick up from middle, 2:30(ish); pick up from elementary, 4(ish).
Wednesday--drive middles to school, 7(ish); volunteer at middle school, 10(ish)-12(ish); pick up from middle, 2:30(ish); pick up from elementary, 4(ish); Girl Scout meeting, 6(ish)
Thursday--drive middles to school, 7(ish); ; pick up from middle, 2:30(ish); volunteer in 2nd grade class, 3(ish); music class, 4(ish).
Friday--drive middles to school, 7(ish); teach at cottage school, 9(ish)-1(ish); elementary school valentine parties, 2(ish).
(One of the reasons I sorta love Fridays is because for 4+ hours, I am in the same place, doing the same general thing and not having to be in my car.)
I thought I would have oodles of time when all 3 kids were in full-time school, but I do not. Even if I don't volunteer at the school, I still have errands to run. Two-hour windows of "free" time throughout my day are the norm. I fill those with article writing, prepping for my class and cleaning or cooking.
And, really, those two-hour windows aren't even two full hours. Like the two hours between driving the middles to school and volunteering on Monday are actually filled with haranguing the boys to get dressed, brush teeth, making lunches and waiting for the bus. Oh, and getting myself ready. That always comes last.
Every other week, I get the boys to the clinic by 8 am for allergy shots.
Whenever I think about subbing at the boys' elementary school or trying to find some kind of part-time public school-related position, I get very excited until I remember all of these drive-people-here-and-there responsibilities.
Still, at some point, I will need to go back to more than just very, very part-part time work to help pay for college and the general costs of raising older children (cars, insurance, all 3 in orthodontia), and I have a hard time seeing how that will work.
It isn't rocket science. I have my paper calendar and my iPhone calendar that links to my computer calendar. I write myself Post-it notes in my paper calendar.
I also very regularly commit to things only to have to go back and cancel or reschedule. It is not unusual for me to look at my calendar and comment, "Well, shit" because I have double-booked myself or completely forgotten something that is a fairly routine event.
I have to write down stupid stuff that should be fairly ingrained in my head, like "Husband gets paid today" or "Take out recycling."
Sadly, I have even considered writing myself notes to remind myself to pee.
My weeks are chunks of somewhat unusable time.
Next week looks like this:
Monday--drive middles to school, 7(ish); volunteer at middle school bookstore, 9(ish)-12(ish); pick up from middle, 2:30(ish); pick up from elementary, 4(ish).
Tuesday--drive middles to school, 7(ish); piano lesson, 10(ish); occupational therapy for G, 2(ish); pick up from middle, 2:30(ish); pick up from elementary, 4(ish).
Wednesday--drive middles to school, 7(ish); volunteer at middle school, 10(ish)-12(ish); pick up from middle, 2:30(ish); pick up from elementary, 4(ish); Girl Scout meeting, 6(ish)
Thursday--drive middles to school, 7(ish); ; pick up from middle, 2:30(ish); volunteer in 2nd grade class, 3(ish); music class, 4(ish).
Friday--drive middles to school, 7(ish); teach at cottage school, 9(ish)-1(ish); elementary school valentine parties, 2(ish).
(One of the reasons I sorta love Fridays is because for 4+ hours, I am in the same place, doing the same general thing and not having to be in my car.)
I thought I would have oodles of time when all 3 kids were in full-time school, but I do not. Even if I don't volunteer at the school, I still have errands to run. Two-hour windows of "free" time throughout my day are the norm. I fill those with article writing, prepping for my class and cleaning or cooking.
And, really, those two-hour windows aren't even two full hours. Like the two hours between driving the middles to school and volunteering on Monday are actually filled with haranguing the boys to get dressed, brush teeth, making lunches and waiting for the bus. Oh, and getting myself ready. That always comes last.
Every other week, I get the boys to the clinic by 8 am for allergy shots.
Whenever I think about subbing at the boys' elementary school or trying to find some kind of part-time public school-related position, I get very excited until I remember all of these drive-people-here-and-there responsibilities.
Still, at some point, I will need to go back to more than just very, very part-part time work to help pay for college and the general costs of raising older children (cars, insurance, all 3 in orthodontia), and I have a hard time seeing how that will work.
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