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Parenting in the 8-5

And I Thought Being a Parent Was Hard Before

Magic claw has no children. His days are free and easy. - Bandit Heeler





It's so hard to start this one on the right note. In no way shape or form do I ever want to come across as perfect, nor do I want to be cynical. If this next statement offends you, maybe it should? Maybe it shouldn't? I feel like the best way to be is to press onward hoping that you still want to come along for the ride.

PARENTING AS A TEACHER IS SO MUCH EASIER THAN PARENTING AS AN 8-5er.

There. It's said. It's out in the ether. 

Who would ever want a meeting with a teacher at 7:00pm on a Thursday? 
Why can't you come get little Johnny right after school because he is sick? Don't you love your kid? 
Why aren't these parents more involved in their kid's lives? The parents should help with homework. 
You forgot your homework? What irresponsible parents you must have!
What do you mean you didn't have time at home to do your 15 minutes of reading and 15 minutes of math?

This is my reality now.

This is my family reality now.

We drop one kid off with friends in the morning so he can catch his bus, and the other at daycare by 7:20am. Pull into the office parking lot by 7:55 so we can clock in by signing into our workstations by 8:00. Out the door and to the car by 5:15 on most days to get the youngest by 6:00 and the oldest wherever he may be because of practice or the schedule of the other family. Swimming lessons one day; two days of football; ninja class. Bedtime at 8:00pm so we can look like good parents when we go to the pediatrician and say the kids get a full night of sleep.

Nowhere in there do we get guaranteed play time with the kids. We don't get normal family dinners every night. We can't go on errands to any government or bank office since they'll be closed by the time we get there. Thank GOD for ClickList or we would go hungry with no time for grocery shopping. We can't interact with our oldest's schooling during school hours. This is the most disconnected I've felt from what he is doing in school ever. Thankfully the youngest is still in preschool and his curriculum isn't too heavy yet.

The "modern" school system isn't meant for two working adult parents. I don't see my kids for any more than 2 hours before we have to start bedtime routine and that's if we don't have activities after school. And we're trying to be good parents. Imagine the poor kids who don't have parents who want to be active in their lives. How are they going to do in schools?

I never understood the struggle until I'm here on the other side.

That parent is now me. 

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