Single parent scheduling!
The Spring rush is here...how do you make sure everybody gets to where they are supposed to be - and at the right time when you are a single parent????
Well, I've dropped the ball now. Spring is hectic for everyone, but I'm finding out just how much more so it can be for a single parent. With spring comes soccer and little league practices and games.
Before you jump in and say the kids do too much, this is what I allow them to do. They pick one activity per "season". In the fall and winter, they both chose swimming and I could coordinate their classes to be at the same time. Spring, however, is a different beast.
One chose soccer and the other picked Little League. Soccer only has games on the weekends and practice during the week. Little League plays twice during the week, and at a different school than where soccer is played.
Enter Single Parent's Worst Scheduling Nightmare. Thank God my schedule is flexible. I don't know how single parents with set 9-5 schedules can manuever to practices that start before 5, games that begin early, parades on Friday that start at 5 and so forth! And not everyone has family around to help with the burden, so how is it done?
Do you skip out on work or do the kids have to miss extra curricular activities? I face a dilemna for fall swimming. My oldest has been asked to be on the community swim team, but practice is 4 days a week beginning at 4:00. Translation, I would have to quit work by 3:30 4 days a week, drive to practice, wait for practice and get home at 5:15. I miss out on income but is it worth it? Is this the crux where he decides he loves it and I become one of those Olympic dream parents and spend my days going to and from practice?
Alas, I am ahead of myself. I have to get through this week of practices and work first, then next week. I'll worry about fall later. My single parent status won't change, so I'm sure the scheduling won't either. I do hope to report back sooner though and let you know how I'm doing.
Share your scheduling tips with me!
