That’s right, folks. I was wrong. So, so wrong. When I said earlier in the summer that I was going to be driven insane by my children before the summer was out. I was RIGHT. But I was totally wrong when I said I was reeeeeaaaalllly looking forward to them going back to school. B/c I really am not. The school year has begun and my joie de vivre has up and left. I should be thrilled that my youngest has finally been peeled from my side. But I am not. B/c she could be here w/ me. telling me how great I am four times an hour and insisting that we make concoctions out of stuff we find in the kitchen. My older daughter is now at school. Learning how to write in cursive. Hanging out w/ her best buds and telling them funny stories. As I sit here, being pecked half to death by my bird WHO HAS NEVER BEEN HAPPIER IN HER LIFE, I feel strangely alone.
So wait.
What happens if you are a SAHM and the kids no longer SAH with you? Do you just while away the hours cleaning until they return, or what?
what? why did they start school already?!? it isn’t even labor day. eww. horrors. does this mean i have to go back to school TOO? drat.
We still like you. Lots.
Hayden, that is a very good question. Though I haven’t quite figured out the answer yet. As you know how much I hate cleaning, you can assume I am not cleaning today. I have allowed Kiwi to groom me, I walked Max, I made 4 BLTs (ate 2), I posted online. I had a nice long conversation w/ my mom who – conveniently – is now unemployed. What else…? Oh yes, this interesting tidbit. So I am home right now EAGERLY AWAITING John, who is coming home for lunch. Just now, I came downstairs, and HOORAY!!!! saw his bicycle in the living room. YIPPEE!!!!! So I call out JOHN!! John where are you?? He doesn’t answer, and I know he’s hiding from me to be cute. We play hide & seek a lot. SO I start searching around for him. I am checking all the usual spots. The search goes on for several minutes, when – DUH — all of a sudden I realize HE ISN’T EVEN HERE. I’d forgotten that I’d dropped him off at work after we left the girls at school. It’s been such a weird day for me.
Anyway, John has declared that I am officially “on sabbatical.” He wants me to have some ME TIME. I have been home w/ the kids for 8 yrs. Before that I worked fulltime. Before that grad school. I am not sure what “Me Time” is. I have not had any since i was in my early 20s. It’s sort of like when someone gets divorced and they have to start dating again. I am not sure whether to approach this time w/ gusto or w/ trepidation. Should I hold Me Time’s hand? Wait until we’re more familiar w/ one another? I just don’t know.
Perhaps I should become a professional gambler.
Anyway, Curl, yes their school starts freakishly early. I believe it’s the only Philly school – or one of the very few – which does. B/c it’s a charter school it sets its own schedule. The public schools start in 2 wks I think.
THANK YOU lovely Panny. You’ve made me smile.
Just don’t start drinking before 10 a.m! It is sad that the girls are in school and you are alone…wait a minute…can we trade…Me time is GREAT!!! Do something for you…and besides they’ll be back home before you know it and you will be helping with homework, cooking meals etc.
We went through the same phase about 30 years ago!
However we now see quite a bit of them as the are here most weekends….so they do eventually come back!
Oh, Kiwi!!!
Awww, Christy… is this G’s first time in school??
WITH GUSTO!!!!
I believe this is a time to ‘create’. But what? I don’t know. Shall you write? Crafts? Childrens books? Petsit?
I really don’t see you meditating all day. Or cleaning. I definitely don’t see you cleaning.
I know this is a wierd time. But it is good for both of you. You will appreciate each other even more than you thought possible.
Stay involved, volunteer at the school, sign up for feidl trips, be the class mom. Schools are always looking for free help.
Can you imagine what the mom would be like if she DID enjoy when her child leaves?
Feelings of abandonment are usual when you have spent some really great quality time with great people. I felt the same after two solid weeks with Andrea.. When I was back at work I kept wanting to ask her opinion on something or share a daft joke and she wasn’t there.
You’ll be fine though, once you get back into another routine you will have filled the time and will be back to being their ‘pal’ after school and sharing all thier school day news!
Give pecky the bird a scratch for me!
xx
I did not mean to sound like a crazy unsympathetic nut, my family means everything to me…it has been a long time since I sent children back to school…now I work all the time and take care of aging parents, mine & my husband’s…I was just a little envious of alone time!!!
P.S. Imagine my surprise and delight when an unexpected package arrived here at the office!!!! Thank you sooooooo much. You are too sweet!
I used to spend a lot of timing thinking of all the things I would do once the kids were on their own. Now that the kids are on their own, I spend a lot of time trying to decide what to do. Weird, isn’t it? You guys take up too much – er, I mean, a lot – of my time, though!
excuse me…can you come out of hiding now? i miss you.