Ok, I admit I’m old and frantic.   But I really don’t remember parents running around like maniacs when I was a kid.  I work from home during the day, but my real job starts at 3:00 pm when the bus pulls up.  Let’s take an honest, unexaggerated look at yesterday, shall we?

• Go to pick up 3rd grader for piano lessons at school. Ask teacher if she knows where my daughter is.  Teacher says daughter must have forgotten about piano and got on the bus to go home.  Ask teacher if she got my note about picking up child.  Teacher explains that she isn’t responsible for daughter’s after school activities.  Mutter and walk back to car as I rush home before bus drops off 3rd grader.
• Call piano teacher to tell her Daughter #2 will not be at lesson.  Piano teacher asks where Daughter #1 is who should have arrived there 45 minutes ago. (!!!!) Rush home and find Daughter #1 at home playing Nintendo because she “forgot” to walk to her lesson too.
• Sigh with relief, hug kids and then lose my temper while I lecture them for 15 minutes on importance of remembering piano lessons are always on Wednesdays.
• Dump contents of overstuffed backpacks and sort through school papers each child brings home.
• Write checks for school pictures ($30 each child), PTA fees ($30 each child), $6 field trip fee and $30 School Fee (What’s THAT for anyway?)
• Start dinner.
• Husband arrives home, sits in recliner and picks up TV remote until dinner.
• Stop 28 times to assist and review 5 math sheets, 2 spelling worksheets, 1 essay, a story using 10 adverbs ending in “ly” and a book report totaling 50 minutes of homework.
• Call hubby to dinner. During dinner, review graded schoolwork with children.
• Children announce that they must wear orange for School Spirit Day which just happens to be tomorrow.  I swear, if we ever move, it will be to a school district that has DENIM as a school color.
• Review note from 3rd grade teacher that some school supplies are missing and due tomorrow.
• Husband returns to recliner and picks up remote.
• Clear table and pile dishes into sink.
• Run out to store to buy two orange t-shirts for School Spirit Day tomorrow.
• Stop at office supply store and buy 1 plain green plastic folder, 3 plain red folders, 2 blue pens, 1 red pen, 1 Post-It note cube, 100 4×6 ruled cards and 3 PLAIN stretchy book covers (Whatever happened to covers made from brown paper bags?)
• Get cashier to give me 10 dimes, 2 quarters, 5 nickels and 10 pennies for 3rd grader’s math homework.
• Run to drugstore and buy “MUST HAVE BY TOMORROW!” hand sanitizer, Kleenex, Ziploc bags, plain white socks, Saran Wrap and disinfectant cleaner. I’m waiting for the day when I’m required to bring in bubble bath for the teacher to relax after work.
• Attend “Meet the Teacher” night and get more forms and listen to requests for donations/volunteers by PTA, music teacher, school secretary, librarian, gym teacher and home room coordinator.
• Guiltily sign up for Halloween party, Teacher Appreciation Dinner, Library Storytime and Cultural Arts Day.
• Return home and sign 12 forms, 3 teacher notes and 2 planners.
• Pack forms, supplies and planners into each child’s backpack.
• Ask if child has books to return to school library.
• Spend 10 minutes looking for library books.
• Remind kids that their homework belongs in their backpacks, not on living room floor.
• Tell kids to get ready for bed.
• Pack lunches
• Tell kids to get ready for bed again.
• Third grader tells me that she has no clean socks.  Throw in load of laundry.
• Tell kids to get IN BED NOW!
• Drop onto sofa.  Husband puts down remote and grins.  Give husband evil eye.  Husband picks up remote again.
• Get youngest a drink of water.
• Tell kids to GO TO SLEEP NOW OR I WILL COME IN THERE AND YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE MY UNHAPPY MOMMY FACE AND I MEAN IT!
• Collapse into bed and pull covers over my head.  Dream of summer vacation.

Here’s my question of the day:  Is it JUST ME!?  Do you feel like your child’s school is a second job?  Discuss amongst yourselves.