I don't think I've ever shared with anyone just how insane Wednesday afternoons are.
Jeff was working from home this past Wednesday and he asked me if I needed him to pick-up Ian from school. I thought about it for a second and replied with, "You couldn't handle it. I've been doing this since the beginning of September. It takes months of training to be where I'm at."
Ian's school lets out at 3:45pm. Since we live so close to the school, we are considered "walkers". However, due to the after-school activities on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays there is no time to walk home from school. Additionally, I really like having Sam strapped in her car seat and not too much of a wild card hoofing it the 10 minutes back and forth to the school. So, we go with the kiss-n-ride option picking Ian up from school each day. Normally, I have enough time to wait in the long line of cars, get Ian, and continue on with our next destination.
Wednesdays is our quickest turnaround. Ian's gymnastics starts at 4:00pm. We are lucky that it's only a 2 mile drive to get there. It can take us anywhere from 5 to 7 minutes depending on making green or red traffic lights.
Unfortunately, Ian and the rest of the kids don't actually make it to the kiss-n-ride designated door until 3:50pm (at the earliest). If I ever tried to be the first car in line, I'd have to get there by 3:05pm. Just not going to happen. And, if we wait in line with the rest of the cars, then I won't see Ian until 3:58pm or even later. It is not a fast moving process! You can only go as fast as the slowest moving kid that needs to get in the car in front of you.
So I have a multi-step process that assures me I get Ian as quickly as I can and make gymnastics on time. At 3:40pm, Sam and I head to the school. I cut the entire line of cars waiting in the kiss-n-ride line and squeeze in between car # 1 and car #2. So now, my car is beyond the kiss-n-ride line. I do a 3 point turn and back my car into an open teacher/staff parking space. I am now positioned perpendicular to the doors where the kids will come out. I leave Sam in the car (with the car running) and stand in front of the doors. At this point the special needs kids are coming out (they get released first) and I know it won't be much longer. The teachers are doing their best to get the kids organized and there is a list of parents in order waiting in their cars for their children. Technically, the student is supposed to wait until they hear their name called to make their way outside. However, I've told Ian to make a run for it and I will always be there waiting to get him. Only once did I not make it in time and Ian got in trouble for escaping before his name was called. That will not happen again!
It is now 3:51 or 3:52pm. Ian and I get back to the car. While I slowly make my way, cutting back through the line of cars, Ian changes his clothes (into gym shorts and a t-shirt) and then eats a hot snack of some type (chicken nuggets, pizza bagels, quesadilla, etc). Since he will be in class for 2 hours, it is important he gets something substantial in him.
We pull up to the drop-off at gymnastics at 3:57/3:58pm. Voila! On time.
Now, you may be asking yourself a few questions.
Why don't I park the car somewhere else close by that doesn't have me pissing off the first 2 cars in the kiss-n-ride line and breaking a few rules getting to the spot I want? Because I want to be able to keep an eye on the car with Sam still in it. By being on the other side of the kiss-n-ride line, I can keep Sam strapped in her car seat and watch the car the whole time.
I've also been asked why don't I go in to the school and sign Ian out a few minutes early? Because I would have to park the car in a very inconvient location, take Sam in with me to the school to do the checkout and it would have to be EVERY SINGLE WEDNESDAY! Once or twice, I could see doing. But every single Wednesday? No way.
And this is just one of many reasons why if I get committed to the looney bin, it will be on a Wednesday.
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