Monday, February 16, 2009

2009: The year we had a plan

So, the girls are finally back on their regular school schedule, as of today.

Here's the plan:

After school we have a snack. (That part we're already pretty good at.)

The girls unpack their lunchboxes. (Also a carryover from last year.)

They also empty and wash the lunch box containers--uneaten food gets wiped off and put away (if whole fruit or an unopened package of yogurt or crackers), or dumped in the plastic bag in the freezer if rejected & deemed inedible.

We decide, probably weekly, what they'll be having for lunch and I buy it.

They pack their own lunches. (I can not adequately express how glad I am to be passing that one on.)

They change out of school clothes and do homework.


...I know. How ambitious am I? I even threw in a thing about the clothes they take off being put in the laundry basket.

Update, two hours later:

Q: Who goes shopping on Monday at five p.m.?

A: Everyone who ever lived.

But not all of them bring two kids and a neighbor. All that wonderful after-school planning falls down a little when you don't get to start making dinner till nearly bedtime. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.*

* Just kidding. There's not tomorrow at all. Tomorrow, there's a parent-teacher's meeting at nearly bedtime.

5 comments:

Anonymous February 16, 2009 8:11 PM  

"The girls unpack their lunchboxes. They also empty and wash the lunch box containers..."

Hmmm. How'd you manage that? Are you ever going to share the backstory from, oh, about 33 years ago?

:)

splord February 16, 2009 8:24 PM  

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that there are containers for the lunch boxes. Lunch box boxes, if you will. :)

The Russian in me says they're Petrushka lunches.

lisahgolden February 17, 2009 2:09 PM  

That is very ambitious and you are to be commended. If it works for three works, it's a habit, right?

Anonymous February 17, 2009 6:05 PM  

Can you either afford someone to help out after school or trade cooking duties with a neighbour who also has kids? I don't know what your situation is, exactly, of course. I hired a part-time nanny from 3 p.m. until I came home from work. She cooked amazing food (used to work for the U.S. ambassador to Hong Kong) and she made sure the kids were safe. She was the best investment I've ever made.

Jennifer February 17, 2009 6:13 PM  

Okay. In order:

Dad - No, but you're welcome to. And I manage it by requiring them to.

Bob - Smartass.

Lisa - That's the hope to which I cling, yes ;)

Gabriella - Thanks for the suggestion. I do actually have time to do what needs to be done; this is more about getting them to take a more active role around the house than anything else :)

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