Ouch!
But its true. Here's my sad & sorry but actually funny [in a tail between the legs kinda way...] story.
I pride myself on being as organised as a mother of 5 small children can possibly be.
I don't have a minimalist house, its a home. There's always tidying & cleaning to be done, but I like to think its mostly presentable if people pop around. I'm no chef but I almost always cook good food for my kids & they go to school with a healthy breakfast in their tummies & lunch packs with nutritious brain food, recess & lunch. We have a homework routine of maths, spelling, reading & writing Sunday though to Thursday. We have schedules for morning & after school routines so the kids are learning to take care of everyday processes. We plan meals, watch out for when bills are due, keep lists & diaries....
On the whole we hope we are ticking some boxes and cruising along ok.
Last week was a bit of disaster. I've had 4 out 5 kids sick with ear infections & Charlotte home sick for not only ears but tonsilitis too. As quick as I would drop some off at school or kindy, I'd be called up to pick someone else up. I spent a couple of nights up with Charlotte wimpering her way through the night in pain. And just when I decided I'd take her in to the hospital in the middle of the night, she'd fall back to sleep. This went on & on. Panadol sure worked a treat for her. I finally got her into a GP appointment [I'll leave that rant for another day], now that she is on the mend, of course. Always happens.
We had my sisters boys over last weekend, we had a whole family picnic at the school one evening, we went to a very emotional funeral, had kindy photos, doctors appointments & I did a presentation at the school for the year 6/7 young entrepreneurs. It was a busier than usual week.
Anyway, we got through it. As everyone does. There's no choice but to.
I even managed to read the school newsletter. 'Come dressed in beach wear' for the book fair that we are having right now. And as usual when I go through the weekly newsletter, I jotted the details down in my trusty Kikki-K Diary.
Casual Day Monday: check. Gold coin donation: check. Appropriate footwear [I guess beach thongs are out of the question for beach day. Must find something else....]: check.
As the girls had left most of their beach gear down at my parents beach house I made a mental note to visit this weekend & grab the beach bag so it was back here in time for casual day. So yesterday we spent family fun day at the beach house with my parents. It was lovely.
Before bed last night, the girls & I auditioned t-shirts to go with their beach shorts, found some hair flowers to match, worked out the shoes they would wear, got hats ready etc etc. Great, all ready for the morning.
I went to bed feeling all organised for the fresh new week ahead. Kids all on the mend. Yes! Fabulous.
This morning was a little chilly so we had to grab some little hoodie jackets to wear but that was fine.
So off to school we went and as we sat outside the school, the girls about to embark... we noticed all these uniformed students waltzing into school. The teeniest bit smug on the inside, I think to myself, obviously they didn't read the newsletter & have missed casual day.
More & more kids piled into school, all in uniform, all with parents who obviously did not read last weeks newsletter. How can this be? Their poor children are missing out on the school dress up fun. What a shame.
My girls have their normal reaction to casual day, 'Are you sure mum? Are you sure its casual day?" I open my diary to show them my entry. Of course! Monday 12th; Casual Day, gold coin donation, appropriate footwear. We then see a family with a little girl dressed in something summery & they recognise her. Phew!
Out they pop & off they go in to school together. My little beachy girls.
Off I drive.
The phone rings. Its Georgias best friend's mum. "Kate, the school sent an amended newsletter, beach day was moved to Tuesday!"
My children have become the school fun. The shame is on me. And that little girl other summery girl - they recognised her from the twins kindy!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kindy kids don't wear uniform!!!!!
I quickly scramble back to pick them up & whip them into their freshly washed dresses hanging up for tomorrow [thank God for that!!!!!!!!!!!!!] and zoom them [under the speed limit] back to school.
Mortified.
