I had always thought of myself as a morning person. Until I became a teacher. Then I had to start getting up at an ungodly hour, an hour when only the streetlights are shining, an hour when even the sun is still sleeping. Maybe other working folks get up at (drumroll, please) FIVE FORTY AM, and maybe teachers are not the only ones to suffer with this horrid wake up call, but I still grumble every morning when the alarm jars me out of warm peaceful slumber.
Once I get up and stumble into the shower (have you discovered showering in the dark? It's a great way to wake up slowly) and finally get dressed, I am resigned to my state of wakefulness. And by the time breakfast has settled in my stomach, I am excited about my job. I do love it, I just don't like getting up before the sun does.
And then this year we tried out something new. Jared had been going to Mrs. Childs' house every day, a wonderful woman who sends her kids to the school where Clint teaches and our children are students. She loved him, I think, as much as one of her own children, and he loved going there. But because of money (evil, evil money), we decided to send him to the child care program at Trinity.
Yesterday was his FIRST good day at child care. Up till yesterday, he cried like crazy when Clint dropped him off, and his teachers reported that he was "sad" most of the day. But yesterday, their report was glowing, and today was even better. Clint said they greeted him with hugs and smiles this morning, probably relieved that they might not have to put up with a crying kid any more. Clint picked him up today, and found he'd had another happy day.
So Clint said, "Jared, did you have a good day at child care?"
"Yes. I did." Jared said. (He's pretty literate, we think.)
And Clint said, "So Jared, you like child care now, right?"
Jared thought for a minute. "No. I don't," he said. "I don't like it."
Hmm. Guess we're still working on that one. At least he's over the crying and clinging phase.
And we've decided not to ease into fall sports for Lauren and Jonah. It's much more fun to jump in with both feet. So they've got games or practice 3 or 4 days a week, (thankfully) on the same days, and we're running back and forth for that.
And that's about it. Bed time's approaching and the kids are currently engaged in a three-way "wrestling match" (read: Jonah's mad because Jared keeps touching his Legos and Lauren's exploiting his anger while trying to look like she's innocently playing with Jared, who doesn't have a clue what's going on but thinks wrestling is fun).
Probably better break it up.
8 comments:
I'm not entirely certain anyone can actually get used to getting up at an early hour such as that. This summer, I had to set my alarm for like 5:20 and hit the snooze button once, or twice if I felt the need to rush through my morning routine and then (hypothetically speaking) violate traffic laws to get to work by the lovely hour of 7:00. I also became quite skilled at getting ready in less than 40 minutes (the fastest I thought I could ever go...I know, I know, unusual for someone with a Y chromosome).
Regardless, I didn't get used to it ever.
Well, there goes all attempt at staying half-way anonymous, or at least remaining somewhat enigmatic. Not sure why it posted both first and last name...I think it used my gmail acct instead of my blogger acct. Oh well...
Just make sure that little guy isn't giving you the answer about child care he knows you DON'T want to hear! I bet he knows when he answers the "do you like childcare" question with 'no,' he gets a reaction!
I'm sure the transition is tough on all of you. But kids are so resilient. It's especially hard when the first experience was so great.
I can't believe that little guy is talking -- what happened to the baby who joined us at residency that year!
Anne
I am not a morning person either! I try to be, especially if we are getting up early to go somewhere fun (like to Michigan this weekend!) but when that alarm goes off I just feel angry and grouchy...that grumpo feeling finally wears off after tea, breakfast and 10 am! I am getting better though - I can get up early I am just not approachable or chipper when I do. :)
My rule is that I don't get up before six. I have to exercise because Gabe is exercising religiously and I will not have him looking down his nose at me...But anyway...soon, Jared will love daycare. To the point that he will not want to come home with you. And then you won't know if you should be glad he loves it so much or sad because he no longer loves you!
Don't say that! I know he'll always love me, but he's already getting less weepy in the mornings and this evening he asked, "Mama, where's Miss Liz? What's she doing?" HOW can he be thinking about his teacher when I AM RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM???
Don't say that! I know he'll always love me, but he's already getting less weepy in the mornings and this evening he asked, "Mama, where's Miss Liz? What's she doing?" HOW can he be thinking about his teacher when I AM RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM???
Jacob is my pre-alarm clock... generally at 2 or 3 or 4...
then I get him back in bed or to the bathroom or a drink or whatever... and love the fact that I have 4 or 3 or 2 more hours of sleep coming up.
You should try it.
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