I have often observed my friends with older kids, running here and there, taking their kids from soccer to swim team, to music lessons and to tutoring. I like being at home and I knew the day would come when it would be my turn to take the kids from here to there, and I dreaded it. Now, the time has arrived!
It started with my daughter’s ballet class this Summer. Now my husband is signing our son up for Soccer in the Fall and we’d like to put both of them on the swim team this Winter. We have recently joined a homeschool support group which will give us many opportunities to participate in extra-curricular activities, such as art classes and PE. On top of that, my three-year-old will be in preschool, and we will be juggling his schedule. So, the lazy days of Summer are about to come to a screeching halt and we are entering a new season.
The other day I was wondering how I could manage it all. The most complicated part is getting the two big kids where they are supposed to be, with my two younger ones in tow. Waiting around for classes to be over proved to be a bit of a dilemma during Ballet. We were in a tiny, crowded waiting room and they went stir crazy. So, I had an idea. I thought, “Aha! I’ll buy one of those DVD players for the minivan, and the kids not in class can watch a movie and I’ll read novels.” (Hey, this doesn’t sound too bad after all!)
Then, I had another thought. If I hang out in my van all the time, I will miss opportunities to be involved in my community and to minister to the people around me. I will get to meet so many people and I’m sure I will have some great conversations while my kids are in their classes. I can share my faith and I can encourage other moms. I’ll make new friends. My kids will know that I want to be involved in what they are doing, and I’m not just their chauffeur.
It’s not going to be easy. I am going to have to be prepared and organized. All the kids will need to know what’s expected and the little guys will be in training, learning to sit still and have ‘volume control’. Getting out the door with four kids is always a challenge and boiled down, it’s going to be hard work doing it all in an orderly fashion. In addition to that, I’ll have to be efficient in getting housework done and I’ll need to have my meals planned out.
I’m actually getting excited about this! I’m excited about volunteering at the preschool, making new friends, sharing God’s love with the people I meet, and being a blessing. So, all those novels that I’ve been dying to read will have to wait a bit longer. I’ve got more important things to do!
If any of you moms out there have any tips for this upcoming season of my life, please feel free to share them. I’m sure there are lots of moms in my shoes who could benefit from your, “Been there” wisdom.