The Morning Flow

Some mornings flow.
And some....don't.
This was a morning with a few bumps.

I had been feeling like a broken record: "brush your teeth, get your coat, is your homework signed?, did you make your bed?" So a while ago the kids and I set up a list of things they do before school and we all signed it.  I agreed to give them a ride at 8:50 every morning, and they agreed to complete the things on the list.  It was a way to get us all on the same page and relinquish me of my morning pestering duties.

Today someone didn't want to wear a coat and took up a lot of their time whining about that.  It was 8:50, so I got in the car and drove the others to school.  I found my child walking to school (with the coat on), slowly, head down.

I pulled over and he hopped in. ( not in our contract)  We talked it out and decided what should have happened this morning.  The drop off zone at the school was full of cars, so I waited.  This U-shaped drop off can be frustrating at times.  If the car in front of you takes forever getting their load out it holds up the whole line.  If someone is parked in the drop off- heaven help us.   People will end up putting their cars in reverse trying to eek out of their tight little spot to make room for others.  If people pull all the way up, let children out, and pull out it works like a charm.

Today I noticed the Toyota Corolla in front of me was taking some time.  The child had already gotten out of the car, but he wasn't shutting the door.  His father had driven him to school.  I watched as this little guy talked to his Dad through the open door.  Then he proceeded to kiss the tips of his fingers and "shoot" the kisses to his Dad.  I saw his Dad throw himself around in the driver's seat as the kisses hit their intended target.  His son kept kissing and shooting, and the Dad kept smiling and taking each hit.  Finally, the son shut the door and did one last grand expression of love.  He did some kind of kissing fire ball/ bomb.  It exploded in his hands and then he threw it at his Dad, smiled and walked away.

I sat through this whole show just smiling in my seat with a line of cars piling up behind us.
That guy got it right.

I can get too caught up in "sticking with the plan",  for fear of the chaos that can happen.  Sometimes I need to just be in the moment and not worry about the little things.

Thanks Toyota Corolla Guy.