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Wednesday 21 March 2012

15 minutes

Mornings have been a struggle, a chore, and quite frankly a pain in the arse for a while now. Only school mornings - those times when I expect something of the children, and myself, and always try to get Lucas to school on time and never quite make it - or if I do, its only just.
So - I got to thinking what are the problems? What do I have control over? What can I do as the grown up?

The 'issues':
Lucas isn't good at looking after himself quite frankly - he is blind, missing the whole middle of his brain, and therefore can't achieve simple tasks like buttons, zips, and so on. Add to this the fact that he has Aspergers (making him have to do every little thing in the same order without fail), and having Sensory Processing Dysfunction (meaning that socks can take up to 20 minutes to 'feel right'), plus the huge amount of medications I have to give him - which he takes like a dream, but it all takes time!

Isla just doesn't do mornings at all! She sulks, cries, wont eat, wont get dressed, needs holding all the time, is refusing to wee. Almost all the time she is an absolute joy - mature, funny, helpful, incredibly self-reliant - but sadly the times she isn't are when I am at my most pushed and frazzled (yes, I know there is a connection!). 

Me - I panic and stress. I lose my rag. I am also incredibly clumsy, and knock over drinks, trip down the stairs. I am also incredibly bad at time keeping just for me - never mind when challenged in this way!

What can I change? Lucas - not in a million years, quite honestly! Isla - time will certainly change mornings for Isla, but if she is like her Dad, not that much! Me - I have always been a short tempered stress-head, and will always be a short tempered stress-head!

It turns out that today it was pretty simple! - just getting myself out of bed 15 minutes earlier this morning turned from the picture painted above into this:

Now, I am a realist (some of the time ;-))I know this wont always work so effectively, but just for this morning I enjoyed being a Mum getting her children ready for school to the best of her abilities, and they went to 'their places' way better prepared and centred than normal!

Hurrah me today - go Team Sar!
Roll on tomorrow :-)

6 comments:

  1. I smiled at this post... I am terrible in the morning and I don't have half of what you have to get through just to get to school! That getting up a little earlier is the hardest thing to do when you're snuggled up in bed... so give yourself a pat on the back for managing that extra 15 minutes! x

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  2. This post brought tears to my eyes Sarah. None of us are perfect parents & those that profess to be ate liars. neither you, Lucus or Isla should change. I'm glad you found something that worked (for now). I get so much done if I get up 20 mins before everyone else, although Loki is always up before anyone. GO TEAM SAR!
    PS(loving the spotty look that Isla is rocking)
    PPS(Lets get together for another crafty night soon) x

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  3. Go team Sar! we need to give ourselves pats on the back more often...and remember what a huge difference something small like fifteen minutes makes. Xx going to tweet this. Hope you don't mind.

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  4. Go team Sar! we need to give ourselves pats on the back more often...and remember what a huge difference something small like fifteen minutes makes. Xx going to tweet this. Hope you don't mind.

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  5. Thanks Sandy and Lerryn. No problem Sandy. x

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I always love hearing from you!
Love Sarah