As I was waking everyone up this morning, it dawned on me how different my morning routine is. It was get up, children to bus, work. Fairly simple. But this school year has some changes thanks to my son graduating to middle school, my huband's continued degeneration, and my daughter's bus schedule being messed up.
The original plan for this year started fairly simple. They both have a bus stop in the same location. Because they go to the arts academies for their grades, the bus does not pass by my house. Rather I have to take them to a satellite location. And the fact that that location is the same for them should make it easy. However, Bub's bus doesn't come until close to 8:00. I have to be at work at 7:30. So yeah. Finally I decided to put him in morning care. It's fairly inexpensive for the morning program at his school. So I had planned to drop her at the bus, take him to school, get to work fairly on time. But then her bus situation got messed up thanks to the driver quitting days before the start of school. So then her bus wasn't coming until close to 8:00. The end result is that she ended up in morning care as well. The expense of both these programs is not great but it's the best solution otherwise.
So now I get up (still working on finding early morning time to run/exercise, for now that is being done in the evenings), and wake up Bub and get him in the shower, wake up LG and put her clothes out so she can change and then start getting ready myself. They either can have breakfast at home or at school, their choice. I get ready myself. Before we leave, I wake up BT who has taken to sleeping in the recliner so he can sleep more upright and also it is easier for him to get in and out of (we are working on a hospital bed for him to aid in this). I help BT out of the chair and we go. Then I drop off Bub at school, drive to LG's school and sign her in and then I go to work. It's a lot. I don't know if it sounds like a lot but it's a lot. It's a lot of driving and getting everyone where they need to go and helping them all out while still trying to get my own stuff together and make to work. But it's the best way and honestly has been less stressful. There are, of course, even less stressful ways to manage. I could pull them and make them go to our home schools and then they would be bused to and from the house. That is not an option for me. I love the arts academies and they are getting a great education and learning an in-depth art form at the same time. And I believe wholeheartedly in that. So this is what we are doing and I'm trying to make it work as best I can.
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Friday, August 10, 2018
Monday, August 6, 2018
Baaaack to school
The kids start school this week and as usual I am of two minds. School usually ramps up the responsibility at my house but it's, you know, school so it's important. School is a lot for me thought. As the mom I shouldn't admit that? But it's true. The burden of transportation, school functions, and everything that goes into school is down to me especially now as the only driving adult in the family. My children goes to arts schools so there are no buses that run near my house. I love the arts elementary so much so it's worth it but it is a pain. And now my oldest is headed off to middle school which is scary for me but he seems chill about it so far. It was a nice couple of years having them in the same place. Certainly that made it easier. Now 2 different schools, buses and schedules. It'll work out especially now that I have figured out exactly how to get my son to school without being overly late for work. His school starts later so his bus comes later, thankfully to the same location as hers. But he isn't zoned for that bus stop so all of that had to be worked out. He'll go to the before school program run by the YMCA and then take the bus in the afternoon and then they will both get dropped off in the same place. It's not the cheapest plans but it's worth it. And they will have time for their evening sports.
I am amazed that she is going into first grade and he is going into sixth and the fact that he is going to middle school is like wow. It's crazy to me that we've already gotten to this point. I am worried about middle school. It's a rough time and a rough age and middle schoolers are not necessarily the nicest. I think he will be fine but he can be sensitive so I guess we'll see. It's also just more. More homework, more classes, and a different routine with changing rooms multiple times a day which won't be a bad thing. He can move around more during the day and he'll have to go outside to change rooms so that actually is a good thing. I also realized that this will be the first time he has to dress out for P.E. His middle school is a great school and the arts program is amazing. He got in with piano and that is the art that he will focus on. I am so happy with the decision to put him in the arts academy and grateful that this school district offers the option and that LG could go to that school too. I'm curious what her art will be. I'd say drama or dance based on her personality. Drama seems to be the better fit.
But now it's time for homework and parent/teacher meetings among other things. And I handle all of that but I also feel bad because BT misses out on so much. Most of the time it is easier for me to just get the kids from school or from the bus and then go to any open house meetings or to just go to school for lunch or any school activities. Their schools are really close to my work and it's just easier. But I feel bad because I probably should go get him more. It's a rough balance between trying not to miss too much work and trying to include him. There is the factor that things make him very tired and it can be hard to negotiate any crowded venues with his chair. So far we've managed to work it out but I think we both feel bad about him missing out on too much. It's just one of those unfortunate things and will work out how they work out.
I am amazed that she is going into first grade and he is going into sixth and the fact that he is going to middle school is like wow. It's crazy to me that we've already gotten to this point. I am worried about middle school. It's a rough time and a rough age and middle schoolers are not necessarily the nicest. I think he will be fine but he can be sensitive so I guess we'll see. It's also just more. More homework, more classes, and a different routine with changing rooms multiple times a day which won't be a bad thing. He can move around more during the day and he'll have to go outside to change rooms so that actually is a good thing. I also realized that this will be the first time he has to dress out for P.E. His middle school is a great school and the arts program is amazing. He got in with piano and that is the art that he will focus on. I am so happy with the decision to put him in the arts academy and grateful that this school district offers the option and that LG could go to that school too. I'm curious what her art will be. I'd say drama or dance based on her personality. Drama seems to be the better fit.
But now it's time for homework and parent/teacher meetings among other things. And I handle all of that but I also feel bad because BT misses out on so much. Most of the time it is easier for me to just get the kids from school or from the bus and then go to any open house meetings or to just go to school for lunch or any school activities. Their schools are really close to my work and it's just easier. But I feel bad because I probably should go get him more. It's a rough balance between trying not to miss too much work and trying to include him. There is the factor that things make him very tired and it can be hard to negotiate any crowded venues with his chair. So far we've managed to work it out but I think we both feel bad about him missing out on too much. It's just one of those unfortunate things and will work out how they work out.
Friday, May 29, 2015
Free style summer
I never knew how much parents looked forward to summer until my kid started school. Although I'm guessing that same statement might not apply to stay at home parents. But it does for this mom. No more homework or car rider lines or worrying about AR tests and conduct grades and unexcused absences! This summer is going to shape up much like last year with Bub at summer camp at Button's daycare. He has a good time there. We don't have any summer plans for vacation or anything. We could never quite work it out. I'm calling it our free-stylin' summer since I think we are just going to see how it goes. The kids have swim lessons later in June and that's the extent of our current plans. We visited BT's parent's new house in Florida for Memorial Day weekend and I think we'll go back either before Bub goes back to school or for his fall break.
Bub's last day was Wednesday so my dad had him yesterday and I have today. He is going to start summer camp on Monday and I thought I'd give him a couple of days off before he started that (and save that money to be frank). I ended up keeping Button home and we are going to the public library's summer reading kick-off to have some fun over there and sign-up for the program. One of my plans this summer is to have at least 15 minutes of quiet reading a day. I'm looking forward to having a quiet summer in general.
Bub's last day was Wednesday so my dad had him yesterday and I have today. He is going to start summer camp on Monday and I thought I'd give him a couple of days off before he started that (and save that money to be frank). I ended up keeping Button home and we are going to the public library's summer reading kick-off to have some fun over there and sign-up for the program. One of my plans this summer is to have at least 15 minutes of quiet reading a day. I'm looking forward to having a quiet summer in general.
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Arts and other creative things
Bub goes to the arts & technology elementary school in our parish (county to the rest of the U.S.) and they take 7 arts for K-2. At the end of 2nd grade each child has to chose 3 arts to take in the 3rd grade and then narrow it down to 1 from those for 4th and 5th grades. It's kind of like choosing a major only they give you 4 years to try them out and pick. The goal is to be able to get into the arts middle school program with your chosen art. I'm not sure at this point if he wants to do that or go to the science middle school. I'm fine with either. So this year he was highly recommended for piano, which is great because we recently acquired BT's parents' piano. He was recommended for drama, dance, visual art, strings and band. The only one not on the list was vocal and it's easy to see why. He sings like I do, full of emotion but lacking in tune and/or pitch. So he ended up choosing piano, drama and dance which is perfect for him with band as his alternate. I'm not sure when they send out the final schedule of which ones they were assigned. But hopefully he gets the ones he chose. Dance is perfect since he needs all the physical motion he can get and drama is perfect because, well, he is a very dramatic child. Although I'm not entirely convinced that he understands the concept of drama equals plays, but I guess he'll find out.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
A lesson in responsibility
I have a tendency to just do for Bub. I cajole him every morning into getting out of bed, into eating his breakfast, into getting dressed, into getting him into the car. Basically most of my morning is spent saying "Now you need to do this and then this and then this" over and over again. It was easier when he was a baby/toddler. I had to dress him and feed him. It was easier when he was a preschooler because even though he could dress himself I still felt like it was okay to do as much as I could for him to smooth the morning over. I spoiled him and it shows. But I'm tired now and he's at the age where he knows how the morning should go. He knows the routine. It's the same routine since he started school, since he started daycare actually. So I told him yesterday after getting fed up with repeating myself 5 times in a row. From now on he is responsible for his morning routine. I'll still get him up and give him his medicine and I'll give him time warnings but I'm not going to tell him what to do. He knows what to do. I expect him to do it.
This morning didn't go so well. First he refused to get out of bed till I dragged him out. Then he laid on the sofa till I gave a 10 minute warning and that's when he finally got dressed. And this was where I made a mistake. He wanted cereal and I gave it to him. Now I know how long it takes that child to eat a bowl of cereal and sure enough the time came and he had barely gotten into it. But I took it away and then went and found his glasses (on the floor *sigh*). I told him I was going out to the car. All he had to do was put on his shoes, grab a jacket, and his backpack and get out of the door. I waited a good while. He finally came out messing with the zipper. He'd been in the house finding a jacket and then trying to get it zipped. Great. Now we were really late and all on account of a zipper. We might have made it to the bus stop on time if there hadn't been a line of traffic and someone who refused to take a right turn out even when it was clear. I'm not sure what was happening in that car but it took forever to move and so we missed the bus. I followed the bus to the next stop but he missed it there too (despite getting out of the car and running, the driver didn't see him) so I sort of blindly followed the bus and he got it at the next stop. All of this making me 30 minutes late to work. In the meantime, I noticed Bub was not wearing his glasses. Where are the glasses? He forgot them. And that's when I lost it. I was already following the damn bus around town. I handed him his glasses. He put them down to get a jacket. Why didn't he put them on his face!? He didn't know. I told him I was really angry at him. First the bus, now the glasses. I expect better of him tomorrow.
So really who was at fault? Me for expecting a smooth morning the first time I put this much responsibility for his morning routine on him? Him for ignoring me all this time? Both probably. Tomorrow I will put a jacket out for him so he sees it right away. I will make sure his glasses are on his face and I will either make him eat in the car or get breakfast at school if there is only 5 minutes left. But I will again leave the rest up to him. I won't be able to do it all for him forever and it's time he learned to handle this.
This morning didn't go so well. First he refused to get out of bed till I dragged him out. Then he laid on the sofa till I gave a 10 minute warning and that's when he finally got dressed. And this was where I made a mistake. He wanted cereal and I gave it to him. Now I know how long it takes that child to eat a bowl of cereal and sure enough the time came and he had barely gotten into it. But I took it away and then went and found his glasses (on the floor *sigh*). I told him I was going out to the car. All he had to do was put on his shoes, grab a jacket, and his backpack and get out of the door. I waited a good while. He finally came out messing with the zipper. He'd been in the house finding a jacket and then trying to get it zipped. Great. Now we were really late and all on account of a zipper. We might have made it to the bus stop on time if there hadn't been a line of traffic and someone who refused to take a right turn out even when it was clear. I'm not sure what was happening in that car but it took forever to move and so we missed the bus. I followed the bus to the next stop but he missed it there too (despite getting out of the car and running, the driver didn't see him) so I sort of blindly followed the bus and he got it at the next stop. All of this making me 30 minutes late to work. In the meantime, I noticed Bub was not wearing his glasses. Where are the glasses? He forgot them. And that's when I lost it. I was already following the damn bus around town. I handed him his glasses. He put them down to get a jacket. Why didn't he put them on his face!? He didn't know. I told him I was really angry at him. First the bus, now the glasses. I expect better of him tomorrow.
So really who was at fault? Me for expecting a smooth morning the first time I put this much responsibility for his morning routine on him? Him for ignoring me all this time? Both probably. Tomorrow I will put a jacket out for him so he sees it right away. I will make sure his glasses are on his face and I will either make him eat in the car or get breakfast at school if there is only 5 minutes left. But I will again leave the rest up to him. I won't be able to do it all for him forever and it's time he learned to handle this.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Looking at daycares
BT finished with school and now has an associates degree in computer networking (with a 4.0! So proud of him). He needs to take a certification test next but he has started looking for a new job. So I started looking at daycares in the last couple of weeks. I don't want to have to scramble looking at daycares when the time does come and we do need one.
There is a new daycare opening very near Bub's bus stop and it would be the perfect place. We went to look at it two Fridays ago and it is super nice, very state of the art with cameras and huge rooms and an awesome playground. But imagine my shock when Bub's last Pre-K teacher turned out to be the Pre-K teacher there. Yes, the lady who was borderline abusive to my child and who is the main reason we had to pull him out of his last daycare is a teacher there. So needless to say Button will not be going there. I told the owner that although her place is super nice I can't bring my daughter there while that lady works there and gave her a brief explanation of what happened. I wonder how the conversation went after I left. So that place is out.
Last Friday we went to another new daycare that just opened. Well, it's a new building but an established daycare. It's not quite what I'm looking for but it is still nice. Instead of having individual rooms for the ages it is one big room sectioned off with gates. Not what I'm use to, but it makes for smaller classes for the one year olds. It seems fine. Also with cameras though not internet-accessible. Still the more monitoring the better in my opinion. I went ahead and put her on the waiting list just in case. There are two more I want to look at and maybe put her on the waiting list.
I am both ready and not ready for the changes that are coming. I really don't want to put her in daycare. After our last experience I have developed such a distaste for daycare. But she will enjoy socializing with other kids and it will be good for her to get out of the house and explore a new place. Maybe I'd be happier if she only had to go part-time. No matter what she is ready to go somewhere, whether it be daycare or mother's day out. It's about time for her to learn to play well with others. I'm just sure I'm ready for her to go.
There is a new daycare opening very near Bub's bus stop and it would be the perfect place. We went to look at it two Fridays ago and it is super nice, very state of the art with cameras and huge rooms and an awesome playground. But imagine my shock when Bub's last Pre-K teacher turned out to be the Pre-K teacher there. Yes, the lady who was borderline abusive to my child and who is the main reason we had to pull him out of his last daycare is a teacher there. So needless to say Button will not be going there. I told the owner that although her place is super nice I can't bring my daughter there while that lady works there and gave her a brief explanation of what happened. I wonder how the conversation went after I left. So that place is out.
Last Friday we went to another new daycare that just opened. Well, it's a new building but an established daycare. It's not quite what I'm looking for but it is still nice. Instead of having individual rooms for the ages it is one big room sectioned off with gates. Not what I'm use to, but it makes for smaller classes for the one year olds. It seems fine. Also with cameras though not internet-accessible. Still the more monitoring the better in my opinion. I went ahead and put her on the waiting list just in case. There are two more I want to look at and maybe put her on the waiting list.
I am both ready and not ready for the changes that are coming. I really don't want to put her in daycare. After our last experience I have developed such a distaste for daycare. But she will enjoy socializing with other kids and it will be good for her to get out of the house and explore a new place. Maybe I'd be happier if she only had to go part-time. No matter what she is ready to go somewhere, whether it be daycare or mother's day out. It's about time for her to learn to play well with others. I'm just sure I'm ready for her to go.
Friday, September 6, 2013
The Bus Decision
Ever since we found out about Bub's new school, there's been a debate about bus over car rider. Mostly an internal debate for me since BT is cool with whatever. It's because his new school is really close to my work, about 15 minutes away in regular traffic. In theory I could take him and pick him up. It would be leaving work everyday for my break twice a day. And I would get back in time in the afternoons to spend 15 minutes at work and then leave for the day. The simplest solution is to just let him ride the bus. It's a long bus ride for him but the easiest thing. I bring him to the bus stop every morning which puts me 15 minutes late to work but I can take it off my lunch. And then he rides the bus home where my mom or BT picks him up at the bus stop. So, although I hate to make him ride the bus for so long, we decided to go with the simplest thing first. And if the bus doesn't work out then we can switch to car rider. I'd heard horror stories about the length of the line but when I picked him on Wednesday it wasn't that bad. I think it was because I went late.
Thursday was actually his first day to ride the bus both ways. He said it was long but good. He had no complaints and I think that this bus driver has control over his bus unlike his last one. The last bus was pure chaos and I don't think the bus driver cared so we had started to bringing him and picking him up everyday. But with the new school, it had to be the bus again or at least give it a try. So far so good. A 5th grader who gets on the bus with him offered to watch him on the bus which was very nice and sweet and actually makes me feel better about the bus. So although he's only been on the bus in the mornings since Wednesday and in the afternoons one day, I think it might work out. Though I'm ready to move on to plan B if necessary.
Thursday was actually his first day to ride the bus both ways. He said it was long but good. He had no complaints and I think that this bus driver has control over his bus unlike his last one. The last bus was pure chaos and I don't think the bus driver cared so we had started to bringing him and picking him up everyday. But with the new school, it had to be the bus again or at least give it a try. So far so good. A 5th grader who gets on the bus with him offered to watch him on the bus which was very nice and sweet and actually makes me feel better about the bus. So although he's only been on the bus in the mornings since Wednesday and in the afternoons one day, I think it might work out. Though I'm ready to move on to plan B if necessary.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Fortune Favors the Brave
Bub was accepted into the art and technology elementary program in our school parish and we're pretty excited even if I've managed to screw it up so far. Right now he is not technically in any school because no one explained to me that it takes up to 24 hours to actually withdraw a child from a school. It's so strange to me that I have to withdraw him when he is only transferring within the same school system. It seems antiquated. But that's how they do it. So the transfer is not going as smoothly as I would have liked.
But I am hoping that once there he really gets to explore the arts and learn different things that would not be available in a regular public elementary school. I think his energy level will be useful there though it is still a public school so there are still the regular classes and such which is fine because he does need to learn how to read and do math. It's the extra arts and tech that I am excited about.
The transportation system has been a worry to me. Because I honestly don't want him on the bus forever but then I can't drop him off and pick him up everyday either. I don't have that kind of time at work to pop in and out all day. So we are doing the easiest thing first and having him ride the bus. And if that doesn't work out then we will go to Plan B whatever that might be.
At any rate, it's exciting and scary and a really great oppurunity. If only I can actually get him registered at that school...
Friday, June 7, 2013
Teacher Appreciation Gifts
I meant to write this up last month but I got busy with the 31 Things project and never got around to it. Early May is Teacher Appreciation Week and we got suggested themes for each day. I missed the first day which was to send a flower for a bouquet. But I managed the rest of the week. The second day was Breakfast, "Teachers Help Us Start Our Day" so I sent a one cup bag of coffee with a helping a latte or some sort of coffee pun.
The third day was Sweet Treats, "Because you are SO Sweet- we say Thank You!" For that day I made an apple out of a coke bottle and we decorate it so that the cap looked like a stem and made leaves from construction paper. One of the big leaves had a note about a Sweet Treat from my son.
The fourth day was A Note From the Heart. I bought some erasers that look like desserts and a notepad that looked like a cookie and included some pencils. Bub wrote her a note that said he liked being in her class and drew her a picture. Then I made a label for the top and put it all in a ziploc bag. I think it came out pretty cute.
The last day was the Student's Choice, "Thanks for Making Our Day Sunny!" So I got her a straw cup because they are my favorite with some liquid beverage mix sweet peach tea flavor and added a straw note that I got from here. She said she liked it and appreciated the thoughtfulness. So I successfully made it through my first Teacher Appreciation Week. Now onto first grade and all that entails.
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