A Single Mothers Morning

It is morning, very EARLY morning..and now the race has begun.
At 6:30am the alarm goes off, (says it is 700, but I am too dull
in morning to remember I am tricking myself)  Drag butt out of bed,
sit in a dazed stupor at side of bed shaking head and smoking a
cigarette until vision clears.

Stumble downstairs, grab diet Pepsi, take a swig, take a shower.
Bring Pepsi upstairs, taking occasional swigs as I go..reach
blindly into closet and put on whatever two pieces I grab,
look in mirror, laugh, brush and dry hair, consider makeup,
wonder who in the office would even notice, grin at self in mirror.

Conduct the ritual sock search, searching for two of the same color,
hoping for same color as shoes and pants.

Walk down stairs this time, I am half awake.. start waking up the
kids "Honey, time to get up, hey! blond boy! Wake uuuuu - uuuuhhp" etc.

Riffle thru the kids clothes piled on the dresser that I never seem
to put completely away.. find some weather compatible clothing for
two small bodies. TRY to keep them gender correct when I can.

Do the sock search for kids, still waking them up w/ pats and jokes
and threats.

Let the dog out.

Let the dog in while running in circles getting kids dressed, making
breakfast and lunch, answering questions and locating lost shoes,
and yelling "GET OFF THE DOG!" as many times as humanly possible
in one breath.

Have another cigarette while arguing with the kindergartener about
whatever she chooses as the mornings debate topic, typically the
"I don't like school" from her, the "you NEED school" from me.

Load the kids into outside weather gear, (jackets or coats) do the
key search.. mumbling something like "damn people moving my KEYS,
why are they moving my keys, where the HELL ARE MY KEYS!!!!"

Herd the kids out the door saying no over and over "NO you may not
bring the dog, NO you may not bring movies to daddy's, NO you can't
take your playdoh/barbies/play makeup etc. to school"

Run back into house the standard five times. (forgotten cigarettes
or purse, kids need this or that paper, a drink, and one has to use
the potty)

Load children in car and conduct the traditional seat belt argument.

It is now 7:30.

Drive 1.5 miles, drop off the blond child. Drive 22 miles, drop off
the brown haired child, answering approximately 500 questions in
30 minutes..

I arrive at work, frazzled but present, at 8:15-8:20.

Every morning, without fail. There can be some unusual twists here and
there, like when the ex keeps her lunch box, or her shoes...
the dog rolls in poop....

The single mother's morning..


--by Monique Julien--

 
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