I feel like I can hear the sound of crickets chirping after writing that last blog post. I expected some questions and comments and...nothing. So, moving right along! No intense family transition to see here, keep it moving!
With Small Sun and Sprout returning to school, and Finch starting preschool two days a week, and B in daycare three days a week, the mom taxi will be back on the road.
Four days a week I will have double drop off and pick ups, and one day I will have triple. That's right, school - preschool - daycare, rinse and repeat.
Then there is ballet and Small Sun's sport of choice to add in. It is not unusual for me to spend up to three+ hours in the car on some days. Did I just say that out loud? Lord, help me!
I'm not going to whine about it. Until B goes, there is no relief from this necessity. What I DO want is a plan. How can I make this driving more fun?
I am planning to get the Chronicles of Narnia on disk for us all to enjoy, and I think looking for some other audio to keep the kids occupied (and not bickering) would be helpful.
For myself, I think getting some books on disk/an audible membership, etc would help. I can listen to sermons, podcasts, etc, which I really enjoy doing. For me, actually getting those things off the net and onto my phone/ipod is the part I struggle with. Those things take so much time for me to navigate that it is not easy and I need easy!
What else? In cooler weather I like to make myself a cup of tea to take in the afternoon to enjoy as I go. The only problem with that is by the time I'm getting to the end of the school run I am just about peeing myself! Silly post-baby bladder.
So, what am I missing here? How can I make all this time in the car a positive? I need your ideas!
I almost commented on your last post, but decided against it at the time. As you know, it can be hard to know what to say in a "public" place like a blog that is detailed enough to give a good sense of the truth of the story, but vague enough to maintain privacy.
We have an open adoption relationship with our youngest son's first mom and her kids. It's been about 95% percent joy and love and easy contact. And about 5% total confusion and grief. We have not had another parent appear out of nowhere, but we have had some adjustment with the births of his two sisters whom his first mom is parenting. He tells us sometimes what he imagines his life would be like with them. No chores and being an adored older brother of two little sisters, rather than a much-used younger brother who has to contribute his age-appropriate share of help to the household! Usually we listen and say things like, "It's interesting to think about how things might be different!" I'm not always sure if/when I ought to let his imagination roam on this, or inject at least a bit of reality in there. Sometimes he's been so completely sad not to be with them, it's heartbreaking. He's a bit of a writer and goes through phases of journaling which is awesome and facinating to me. He's written a few things about his first family like, "Sometimes I can't believe this is really my life. I'm sad that I miss my sisters." Complete with sad face illustration. (Augh...) Recently his first mom and his sisters have been going through an especially rough time and have been living in a shelter. We have not told him that and I don't think for now that we will. He would be really worried about them. It doesn't seem like something that's essential for him. Mostly what's important to us is that he know that, even when adoption and families are hard to understand, WE love him and THEY love him, and it's fine for him to love all of us too. Right now at eight years old we have the option to withhold some hard things, but that won't always be the case. Anyway, a different situation than yours and Small Sun's, but I wanted to contribute a bit of our story and wish you the best as you navigate this change with your son.
(How about carpooling? Any way you can arrange at least one day when you don't have to do all that driving?)
Posted by: Amanda Swanson Friese | 20 January 2013 at 02:22 AM
Sounds like a doozy!
What about picking up some language discs? This is hard to do with the kids but could also be engaging for them if you can find a way to pique their interest in it. And if not could be something to preoccupy yourself with. Besides, the faces you might get from people next to you as they observe you talking to yourself could prove quite entertaining. ;]
Posted by: Della | 22 January 2013 at 11:45 AM