The list is relentless.
Call the insurance company about an unusual bill.
Confirm with room parents about Teacher Appreciation Week duties.
Send the Mother's Day cards—wait, first buy said cards, then send them.
Text the babysitter. Again.
Fill out the permission form Google doc.
Pack a bag lunch for a different field trip happening today.
All of this before 5:15 a.m.
But that list is just scratching the surface. Most of what goes on is only documented in my mental Rolodex, a spinning collection of likes, dislikes, appointments, and important dates. One boy likes Nutella on his wheat toast, but if that’s not available, cream cheese will do. The other wants only butter on his toast but prefers jalapeño cheddar to wheat. One wants a sandwich in their lunch but no chips, while the other skips the bread and just wants turkey and a cheese stick. And that’s just breakfast and lunch.
Moms like me are also the family’s emotional barometer, keeping an eye on everyone just in case the pressure becomes too much. Does someone seem cranky? Diagnosis mode activate!
<Scanning alternatives> Are they tired? Hungry? Dehydrated? Hormonal? All the above? Administering snack, water, hug. Whatever it takes.
Photo Credit Johnny Bhalla