Each stage of parenting brings its joys and challenges… I know this. However, as I reach the next bend in the road I get anxious because I can’t see clearly whats ahead. My kids are 12 & 14. I have always worked hard to keep our schedules simple and our priorities of family front and center, but we seem to have hit a pot hole. Let me backtrack. This summer has been a good, albeit busy summer. J has an athletic camp that he has been involved in for the past 5 weeks. He loves it. Which makes me happy. What does not make me happy is that it is 4 days a week from 7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. This week he also has a basketball camp from 12:30 – 4:30 p.m which he also loves (which also makes me happy). This week M is volunteering at Vacation Bible School from 9 – 12 p.m. She also had her French horn private lesson on Tuesday at 4 p.m. and Wednesday we volunteered at the food pantry from 1 – 4 p.m. and both kids attended Youth Group on Wednesday night from 6-8 p.m.
enJOYing the crazy ride
Again, I am so pleased that they are enjoying their activities, but mama is tired! That basically puts me on car duty at 7:30, 9, 9:30, 12, 12:30, 4, 4:30, 6 & 8 p.m. my oh my. So then I start to feel overwhelmed in the running around. My good buddy NF, who has grown kids, told me recently that there will be this small snapshot of a moment when I will be in carpool hell. But then, the kids turn 16 and they are off on their own. She reminded me to enJOY the time in the car with the kids and treasure those stolen moments together.
When I think of our conversation, it really does help me put things into perspective. I mean, Madi is itching to get behind the wheel. She is eligble for drivers ed this coming March! How crazy is that? Then she’ll be off on her own come 16 and I’ll be missing our drives around town together.
So I have decided to keep the car gassed up and enjoy the scenery of these many, many trips around town. Even though I can not see beyond the bend in the road, I am going to trust my GPS (God’s Planning System) and know I’ll make it around the bend soon enough.
gotta run… time to pick up M and drop off J…see you on the road!
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I really enjoyed the GLPC Women’s Retreat today. It was really nice to get to talk to you. You are so right about those trips in the car with your kids. They will be gone so soon. Some of my personal memories involve taking my older son to Klein Oak High School before he got his driver’s license, and taking him to Cleveland, Texas to do the “behind the wheel” portion of his driver’s licence. My younger son had allergies so I remember taking him to get his allergy shots on Thursday morning before school and then stopping at Jack in the Box to get a “breakfast Jack.”
Thanks for this, Carmalyn. (I almost made a typo with CARmalyn…kinda funny)
Scott is 12 and already ready for his license and car. It’s coming faster than I’m ready for and my boyz are so rowdy our car rides end up very crazy. I need to get them to tone it down a level and get them to realize that soon it won’t just be us as parents who won’t have time with the kids, but also as kids, they won’t have time with us wonderful parents. Think it will work?