Tuesday, September 13, 2011

I wish I were a clone now.

The age old issues of being one person with 2-3 different places to be. I don't know how single parents do it because even with two of us stuff is falling through the cracks. Granted, last night was largely because Ian was sick, but even when not sick he still has several hours of Arabic studying to do each night which cramps my style of Divide & Conquer.

Last night's issue was 6th grade Back to School night at the same time as YOPWs first meeting and rehearsal. Ian passed out on the couch when he got home, so I had to pick which child should feel loved. Since I'm familiar with Saunders MS and some of the teachers, and I'm not at all familiar with the YOPW program, I chose the latter. Here's hoping it doesn't bite me in the butt later. Nicholas was disappointed. I'm sure it's the not going to be the last time.

Honestly, last week was so much easier.

Last week's rain was both awful, awful, awful and a relief. School was off for Labor Day Monday then closed for flooding on Friday. Track try-outs were postponed. A day of Marching Band practice was canceled. Football was canceled all week, and over the weekend too thanks to swamplike fields.

This week we're not so "lucky." Everything is a go.

The fields have drained and football is on again. In case you didn't know, this is Nicholas's only chance to play American football. When we live abroad, Futbol/Football/Soccer is the go-to sport. Rugby in some places, cricket in others, tennis is widespread, swimming is just about everywhere. But football... American football... that's unique to right here.

2011 August - Nicholas starts Football with the 95lb Ravens

With the school year started football dropped to 3 practices a week with a game on Saturday. The first game 2 weeks ago didn't go well. Not only did his team lose 21-0, Nicholas played a single kickoff return. I have a sneaky suspicion the stat guy has my kid and some other kid confused as a single individual. I'm not sure how that can happen since they wear jerseys with different numbers and names on them, but it's that or the coaches won't let Nicholas play. Yeah, he's not the most gifted football player on the field. Before this season he'd never played the game at all and if you know his temperament... well, he doesn't have a football player mindset. But part of learning sports through the Dale City clubs is that there is a minimum play time enforced for every player. In basketball that meant every kid played between 3-7 periods in every game. No kid could play all 8 periods, and no kid could sit out the entire time.

I'm having a hard time figuring out how they mark time in football but I assume there's a system. And it's a little broken. I'm willing to forgive it as an oversight for the first game, even though the coach insisted that Nicholas played almost every play. He didn't. I watched. Ian and I were chain gang the entire time so had no option but to monitor every single play. If the same thing happens this coming Saturday, we'll have words. Calm words, but words nonetheless.

If this week is fun, next week will be more so once I add in Religious Ed for Rebecca on Tuesday nights and Track practice/meets if she makes the team. And altar server meetings for the boys which haven't been scheduled yet. And Becca wants to volunteer at the animal shelter.

Monday: 3-5p.m. R Track tryouts, 7-9p.m. 6th grade Orientation, 6:30-9p.m. K YOPW (Nicholas will start YOPW for cello in November)

Tuesday: 2:20-4:20 K Marching Band, 3-5p.m. R Track tryouts, 4:30-5p.m. R Guitar (simply can't make it today so will have to cancel), 7-9p.m. 8th grade Orienation, 6-8p.m. N Football

Wednesday: 2:20-4:20 K Marching Band, 3-5p.m. R Track tryouts (yes, 3 days of tryouts), 6-8p.m. N Football, 6:45-7:15p.m. J Benediction

Thursday: 2:20-4:20 K Marching Band, 6-9p.m. K Volunteer at hospital (she volunteers 2-3x a month)

Friday: 5:30-11p.m. K Football Game, 6-8p.m. N Football

Saturday: K has a Marching Band competition and N has a Football game.

I know it's like this in every family. Writing it out makes me feel better and more pulled together. I have a wall where everything goes as it comes home... master schedules, doctor appointments, repetitive items like lessons and practices.

Keeping track of EVERYTHING.

I also have a wall where a single week is easy to see and edit. I should update it each Sunday night but I haven't gotten into that routine yet. I started this over the summer, papers labeled Monday-Saturday (Sunday is usually left free), laminated all in a row, and filled in with whiteboard markers. This is a quick glance sort of thing... is it an A day or a B day? Red day or a Blue day? Who is buying lunch? Is there a lesson/practice after school?

Keeping track of a week at a time.

In theory every entry is color-coordinated by kid. In reality it's whatever marker I grab from the box, though typically something that's important and for everyone goes in red. Or green. Like I said, whichever color is handy and functioning is what gets used.

School year 2011-2012... here we go.

Where's that clone I ordered?

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