Most days, it’s a race – to get ready, to get to the bus, to get to the next bus from school to my office, to make the bus home, and then to get dinner and to bed. But, I’ve learned a few things in the past year:
- Clothes out the night before. When you fail to do this, you will regret it.
- Lunches made and cereal poured the night before. Coffee maker ready, too.
- Take time to sit together at breakfast.
- Two year olds do not hurry. Plan accordingly.
- It is possible to carry a laptop and files, two lunches, a bedding bag (for Grace’s cot), and a squirmy two year old while wearing heels and still get to the bus on time.
- Sunglasses are your friend for days when you don’t get makeup on until you get to work. Too bad SF is so foggy.
- Put your keys in the same place every night.
- Keep the shopping list on your phone so a) you don’t have to write down the staples every week and b) you don’t forget it on the counter.
- Grocery shop on the night hubby has grand rounds and late teaching. It can be a special girls night that means fewer errands on the weekends.
- Costco is a great place to have dinner and shop on a weeknight – way less crowded.
- Singing nursery rhymes while sitting in traffic takes the edge off. How angry can you be when you’re singing “5 little monkeys swinging in a tree, teasing mr. alligator, can’t catch me!”?
- Amazon and diapers.com bring the errands to you.
- Trader Joe is a great cook. And I refuse to feel guilty about pre-made food anymore. I cook, from scratch at least two or three nights a week, but the other nights, who cares?!
- Knowing the teachers see what you pack for lunch keeps it healthy.
- Flat irons are excellent; eyeliner really does make a difference and doesn’t take that long.
- Washing/drying your hair at night actually makes it look less crazy in the morning. I wish I didn’t have to re-learn this so often.
- Cute, stylish headbands give you an extra day before you have to wash your hair again.
- Blues Clues and Sesame Street are great for the mornings that hubby has early teaching and you want a shower.
- If you have childcare for work hours, you can go to doctor’s appointments by yourself, which means “alone time.”
- Having a shopping strip near the office for errands on the rare day you get a lunch break makes a big difference.
- Exercise is great if you have time. I don’t so I will not feel bad about it, but I will look for opportunities to take the stairs.
- A smart phone means you can be at work in the doctor's office waiting room and email about the preschool parent committee from a meeting.
- You can only feel guilty about so many things. Choose wisely.
- Make the rituals matter – dinner time, bed time, weekend traditions. And try your darndest to be present when you are.
- Some days your child will hurry you on to work at drop off and other days she will ask repeatedly for one more hug. You will not be able to predict what kind of day it is so say you’re leaving a minute or two before you need to leave.
- Drawing pictures or playing with blocks for a few minutes at dropoff is a good way to keep the rest of the day in perspective.
- Keep a phone charger at work.
No comments:
Post a Comment