My alarm clock goes off this morning at 5:30 a.m., just like it does every morning. I snooze it twice until I hear my husband start to wake up for his daily morning workout. As I shower, I make a mental checklist of things to do right away: fold my sons’ laundry to find the black shorts my youngest wants to wear and lint roll my daughter’s black pants. I promised to do these two things as I said “goodnight” last evening. As I quietly grab the black pants from her room, I check to ensure her dance clothes are ready for after school. I head downstairs with a new load of laundry to throw into the wash and pour my coffee.
After putting away the dishes I washed last night, I reminded myself that I needed to pick up dishwasher pods today, which also reminded me that it is my late day at work, so I should pack some extra snacks.
Before turning on the news, I check to make sure my son’s saxophone is by the door, along with my other son’s baseball bag. It is going to be a hectic evening.
I begin to half-watch the news while folding laundry and adding more items to my mental checklist:
- Schedule well visit for my oldest
- Look into flu shots at the town’s health department
- Check-in with my daughter’s solo teacher
- Remember to mobile order the kids McDonald’s since they’ll be eating on the go
- Catch up on emails with my college students
Once my husband comes in, we discuss the plan for the day. Who has to be where, at what time, and for how long. After, we just chat. Now that our kids are older and go to bed later, early morning is some of the only kid-free time we get to talk uninterrupted.
I make my lunch, pour my work coffee, pack the extra snacks, check the fridge for the ingredients I need for dinner, and double-check the school lunch menu and my son’s bag for his library book.
Sometimes, I wonder how my brain has enough space to remember these mundane tasks and things.
Once I head upstairs to get dressed, I look around and sigh at the mess. We’ll have to straighten up tonight. Tomorrow is already Thursday. This weekend: school movie night, haircuts, outfits for school pictures, archery, baseball, dance, Taylor Swift movie, Breast Cancer Walk, solo and duo rehearsals. Mental note: place a grocery order because I will not have time to shop.
When are we going to have time to get pumpkins and Halloween costumes?
Crap! I still need to send in field trip permission slips for two of my kids!
I finally leave the house. I get in my car. I need an oil change. We can probably fit that in on Thursday.
It is only 7:13 a.m. All those mundane chores and thoughts required for my family to function happen before my children even wake up and are squeezed into less than two hours.
Raising a family and running a household is a full-time job. As I drive off to the job that pays me, I am grateful that my husband and I are like a well-oiled machine, working together to fit in the minute details of having three children while also trying to focus on our careers.
Although it feels as if I have already done so much, my day has just begun.
