3 different families + 3 different family schedules = 1 Major Challenge
What follows is one of the most ridiculous conversations that I’ve ever had:
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Yes, I’d like to make a reservation for 6 adults one week from this Saturday please…
No openings? OK, how about the next weekend on Friday?
What? You’re booked solid for the next couple weekends? How about weeknights? Any weeknight except Tuesday or Wednesday (since we all have family commitments those evenings - a.k.a. extracurricular activities).
Oh… (insert disappointed voice here) The only weeknight available for the next 3 weeks (that’s not a Tuesday or a Wednesday) is Monday at 8:30 p.m.? (OK, too late and, well, it’s a Monday… not gonna work!)
Let’s look at next month.
Shoot! That weekend doesn’t work for us either, we have a wedding!
Whoops sorry! We also can’t do that weekend due to a Friday tee-ball game, a Saturday out-of-town guest, and a Sunday soccer clinic.
Oh, and then the following week is our family vacation…
WAIT!
Yes! Saturday, 6:30 p.m. in 8 weeks! Perfect!
See you in two months.
?????
Really? Is it THAT Hard?
Yes. It can be that hard. Coordinating 6 parents’ schedules to fit in just two hours for an adult only dinner is WAY harder than the average “restaurant reservationist” might think.
Not only are you trying to accommodate 3 family schedules, but also 3 different babysitter’s availability, restaurant availability, and so much more!
What could possibly be harder than scheduling a much needed 2-hour adult only dinner date with friends who also have kids?
Scheduling a day in the life of a family of ___ (fill in blank with your own family’s size number)
Because, when scheduling your families day, if one thing goes wrong, it has an effect on everything else…
The Beauty of a Busy Day…
It’s a beautiful morning! The sun is out. I managed to stay up late the night before to get some much needed extra work done to help make up for my lack of work during my upcoming action-packed day.
Let’s review the action-packed day’s line-up:
- Morning doctor appointment for my daughter
- Work time for me prior to lunch
- Afternoon play date for my son along with a swim meet for my daughter (where I am also scheduled to volunteer)
- Topped off nicely with an after dinner Kindergarten Tee-ball game for my son
This is a lot to accomplish for one mom.
Especially without help, which is why I enlisted my secret weapon - my world-famous mother-in-law (well, maybe not world famous, but believe me when I say that I am the envy of many because of how helpful she is!)
And life is good, because I have help. It is a beautiful day.
Except…
I wake up to find a late night text from my afternoon sitter who can no longer make it during the swim meet when my youngest son naps.
Sigh…
But hey, no worries… we’ll just have to nap my son early (ugh!) and bring him with us. I can be flexible.
I’ll make it work. I have my “secret weapon.” And, It’s a beautiful day…
Except…
My daughter’s doctor appointment took an hour and a half.
(That’s 1-hour more than planned and a big bite into my work time at home!)
But that’s… OK. I guess?
I got a lot of work done last night, I can just work late again tonight. I still have an hours time left to work. In fact, now is a perfect time to work! My baby is napping early (because I now need to take him to the afternoon swim meet thanks to the babysitter cancellation!) AND don’t forget it’s a beautiful day?…
Except…
It’s not.
It started raining pouring storming - complete with lightning and thunder. A sure sign that the swim meet will be cancelled…
The Domino Effect
A family’s schedule is like a line of dominoes just waiting for that finger to push the 1st one down. And once one part of the day “goes down,” it eventually affects the rest of the day.
Because my babysitter called off, I had to nap my son early.
Because my daughter’s doctor appointment ran late, I lost work time.
Because it stormed, the swim meet got cancelled (which in turn set my son’s nap schedule off!)
Because it stormed, and the meet was cancelled and RESCHEDULED for the next day, I also had to reschedule my daughter’s piano lessons (for the 3rd time!)
A schedule? What schedule? I think instead I need to schedule a time for “free time?”
That’s IT! No offense… I think we’ll stay home tonight…
Leave a comment. Do you ever feel overbooked? Have you ever gotten to a point that you would rather schedule “nothing” into your calendar (literally) then try to figure out how to schedule your next adult dinner date?
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
So true!! Every June, I begin to look forward to the relaxed, schedule-free, lazy days of summer- then reality sets in. Now it’s to the point that I’m looking forward to the upcoming “relaxing” school year!
Agreed Jennifer… AGREED. Although, tomorrow is my husband’s last day of work before he is off for 3 weeks… and I am hoping to do a little “relaxing” myself during this time… we’ll see
Balance! It’s all about balance and that’s a hard thing to find. What’s the right balance between family and friends, your family life and your community? Gotta keep both in mind for when one gets unbalanced the other parts suffer as well. Great post!
Love it Kate!! So true, so true! and, whoo I am tired just reading it… oh wait, no, I am tired b/c I just went thru the same thing a little while ago!! ha!! and I am laughing harder b/c you guys are on my list to get together with before the summer is no more!
Written JUST for you Lela
What do you think? Parallel lives???