Tuesday, August 26, 2008

The night before the first day of school...

Step 1: Lay out the back to school outfits. Of course, they must all be color coordinated with each other for the back to school pictures that Mommy insists on taking. Lace the new shoes with the squeaky clean shoe laces (these should last all of about a 3 hours until recess time). Put out clean underwear (seriously... do you really think these kids can remember anything on their own?!)

Step 2: Have the kids clean their rooms. I don't know why that's such a sticking point with me, but we've let the bedrooms go to hell in a handbasket all summer, and its time to get back with the *program*. (the *program* being that if you don't get it clean, Mommy waits until you've gone to school and enters your room with a trash bag and the Handi-Vac). We even have special terminology for the program... "Is your room clean? Is it *Mommy* clean?"

Step 3: Label and pack the backpacks. Brand new backpacks! My favorite part of back to school... and if you could see how these backpacks look at the END of the year, you'd understand why I appreciate those fresh (non-sticky, non-stinky) new packs.

Step 4: Pack lunches in their new lunchboxes. Standard fare: ham sandwiches, Doritos, some type of fruit, cookies, and a juice box. Nothing fancy... they wouldn't eat it anyway.

Step 5: Early to bed... of course, the schedule went out the window this summer. The 'rule' is supposed to be that a couple of weeks before school starts, you should re-institute your bedtime routines. Oh well, I guess my kids will just be wondering why they're laying awake, with the sunlight still filtering in through their bedroom shades.

Step 6: Get to bed yourselves, Moms and Dads.... those kids will be up at the butt-crack of dawn, ready for their first day of school! Lord knows it will be the only day you will not have to fight with them about getting up and getting ready.

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