This should terrify me! But somehow...

I found it oddly comforting! Maybe it's because I actually know the woman who wrote this...
Maybe it's because I am trying to be very matter-of-fact about Gigi's next milestone: Preschool
No matter the reason, I found this tidbit of information something that we mothers {and fathers} need to read! Especially those of us who are about to send our babies off to preschool for the first time this year!

The entire piece is amazing and desreves to be read. To do so, click HERE but I wanted to share my favorite part with you now.

*Please note - momismycodename has an Adult Content Warning for "adult language" - The part I reposted here has been cleaned up - but I must state for the record I have no issue with the use of "language" in her blog. In fact I believe removing the language detracts from the literary integrity of her piece.
{Just in case you care about my 2 cents!}





What preschoolers need to know and will find out during the first week of school:



We will play! We will learn (while we're playing)! We will laugh! We will cry (it's inevitable). We will hurt, we will heal... We will try, we will fail. We will try again and we will fail again... We will make friends and we will find out we don't like some things about some people. We will tell them. They will cry. We will cry. We'll work it out. We will try again and find out we are AWESOME!! We will have big feelings and we will figure out together what to do with them. There will be big voices sometimes... We will learn to listen to the big voices and the small ones. There will be messes. There will be "have-to's." We may not like the "have-to's" but we will still be required to do them. We will find out there are all kinds great of things we can do by ourselves. And I will be there to encourage you and help you figure it out. My name is not "mommy" at preschool, although by April I will hear that several times an hour until it's time to go home. I am not going to do it for you... even if it's hard, but I will sit with you, as you come to understand that YOU CAN. You will hear my angry voice, and my laugh, and see my smile and see my WTF face more than once a day... Because I have all the same feelings you do. And P.S. it's my job to be impervious to all the bullsh*t you feed your parents. Welcome! You can! You will! And believe me when I tell you that if it isn't safe or kind, YOU WON'T. Let's have fun!


Parents, the above is written for your benefit too, but here's your Need To Know list 2010 -2011:


ALWAYS say "goodbye" - sneaking out is dirty pool, and not appreciated by your child or his teacher. Give a 2 minute warning, ONE hug or kiss and a confident "I'll see you soon." and then hit the bricks. You can call from the parking lot, or ask the teacher to call you when your child is calm.


After week 1, allow your child to hang up his backpack and get undressed by himself. He doesn't need you to do it anymore. We work hard to foster independence because it makes kids feel good and powerful and proud. You don't want to be that mom cutting up her daughter's steak at the rehearsal dinner, right??


Mommies and daddies of "Princesses", please note: Dress shoes and high heeled flip flops = chin-chopping, concussion-creating, tooth-loosening, America's Funniest Videos-style wipe outs. Save the effin tap shoes and patten leathers for dance class. And yes, I will think you're a total idiot if you bring her in with dress shoes on and say you couldn't get her to take them off...


No preschooler on the planet needs a friggin umbrella. If it rains, we stay in. Please leave your eye-poking, classroom distraction in your car.


And lastly:


Your child is the center of YOUR world... as it should be. Here, our focus is COMMUNITY. We will enjoy the unique qualities your child brings to the GROUP and celebrate our classroom family in many ways. That being said, this is a classroom not a [expletive] Chuck E. Cheese. We'll sing for your kid and make a crown on his birthday. Save your cake and pinata for the backyard.


Please note: My opinions are my own. I do not claim to speak for all preschool teachers... just the ones NOT on anti-psychotic medications.
 
 
 
 
If you like what you read here as much as Idid, there is sure to be more to come when school starts in a few weeks! Thank you flipflopmama a.k.a. The SassMaster for telling it like it is! I look forward to getting to know your students this year! {and I promise not to come to your circus and try to wear the top hat!}

You know the old saying…

...if you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans. ?? Well if you want to hear anyone in my life laugh, tell them “Shelbi has a plan!”

Who am I kidding? I try to be organized. I write things down; I leave post-it notes on my steering wheel so I don’t forget; I take my Adderall and even set alarms to remember my afternoon dose; I seek out new and brilliant ways to get and stay organized, but in the end my life is like my craft closet – An overwhelming pile of unfinished, shoved behind a closed door, half done, half baked, given up on projects. Follow through is not my strong suit!

I have been overwhelmed with my life all summer. I have posted about it once or twice and recently emailed my girlfriends to thell them I am making changes. I have decided not to continue on like this - I am taking my life by the reigns and putting an end to the chaos {or at least making an effort to reduce it!} and changing my never-ending mantra of “Stop the World – I wanna’ get off!” to… Well I don't know yet, but I’m open for suggestions!

Step 1: Schedule

I have a day planner, a kitchen calendar, outlook, a smart phone – time to put my life down in black and white – see what fits where – remove the stress of feeling the time crunch one day and the unending boredom the next. Okay – Now I know; overwhelmed and bored are the enemies. I can fix that! …Right?

Step 2: Routine

What should happen every day? {Besides breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Nap, Bath, etc…}

Step 3: **ME**

Decide what I need to do for me daily or weekly to stop feeling like I am going to start screaming and convulsing on the floor – And to truly rid myself of wanting to hitchhike to South America and never return! {See… I liked that one so much I used it again! Thank you Dr. Phelan!}

Step 4: Plan into motion

I need a specific start date – a date when I know that I can commit to this new way of life. A date to look forward to, prepare for and…. Well having a date sounded so good. So organized – So empowering!

The reality…

I let my friends know that I needed to get this new routine and schedule of “Have To Do” things going before I could figure out when and where we could make regular plan. That I have loved hosting our Wednesday Play Group this past year but until my new schedule and all its kinks get worked out my play group days are on hold.

That’s when it hit me… I moved into this house July 13th 2007. The neighborhood was only half built at that time. The lots across the street were all empty and I had a brand new, 2 month old daughter. Only two of the moms currently in our play group lived here when I moved in. Of those two moms only one of them had a child. Her daughter was 6 months old back then. Now our girls are about to start preschool together next week. I have two kids, she has three… Times have changed -- 3 years ago we had all the time in the world and were desperate to find things to do – New neighbors, new moms, more kids – Three years go by and we are all so busy going off in a million different directions, we barely have time to stop and say “Hello” at the mailbox.

**Then I got sad…**

Okay – Schedule cleared of friends for the moment – write down: Swim Lessons, Dance/Gymnastics, preschool and Stroller Strides. What have we got? Okay – it all fits – I can make it to Stroller Strides 4 times a week!! – That takes care of the ME! Gigi has preschool two days a week, the girls have swim lessons once a week and dance/gymnastics once a week. So Monday – Friday our mornings are booked! Tuesdays and Thursdays our afternoons are booked – Now I can pick a start date!

Story Time, Play Dates, Playground, Pool, Children’s Museum, and Zoo… All of these things can be worked in after I get this new routine down!

** I’m starting to feel good! **

Start Date: August 1st

The universe had a good laugh when it slapped me in the face with my “plan” –I didn’t realize that I’m not finished with my summer babysitting gig until August 3rd. Although I can fit 3 kids in my car, I cannot fit 3 kids in my{chic but not practical for working out} Bumbleride Stroller so – Monday and Tuesday are out for Stroller Strides!!!

** Annoyed!**

What happened to my perfect plan? I was really happy about getting a fresh start in August… Here’s where every fiber in my being would normally say “Screw it!” It’s not perfect so forget it… I tried… Oh well… The best laid plan… and all…” I didn’t though!

So Monday and Tuesday are not going according to plan – Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will! I am going to figure out how to make up for the fact that I cannot get my “Me Time” in today and tomorrow. Maybe I’ll go for a run with the girls after dinner??

**I am a reed – I bend**

The reality is this - I want to do everything for my kids! I really do want to… I want them to have fun things in their lives like swim lessons, dance lessons and gymnastics. I think it’s important to go to the zoo, story time, the playground and spend quality time with their friends.

The truth is - I simply cannot continue to put my needs at the bottom of that scary craft closet and shut the door while I run around like crazy for my girls. I know I will be a much better mom if I do something – just one thing for myself and right now… Well right now, I could really use a good sweat! I’m starting to think that our running joke about SAHMs being the new Alcoholics is no joke! I think it’s time to step away from my glass of wine and step into my running shoes… Maybe my new mantra will be…
“I am a mother, therefore I am an athlete!”

** I can hear you laughing!! You never know… I just might be! **