5 Things you would not have experienced without being a parent

Being a parent is one of the most difficult things in life!

Who knew that the older you get, the less you think you know anything about this parenting journey? I even have a claim on a child we successfully managed to raise, but that doesn't guarantee anything! (You would think that I would have the know-how! Not so!)

Raising the Little M has made me realize that each of them comes with a different manual. Some of the manuals are definitely more easier to understand!

As a mom I am always thinking about what I could have done better, or different.

I wanted to compile a random list of some of the parenting woes that comes with being a parent. Who think of this when they start with their parenting journey?


5 Things you did not think about before becoming a parent

- You have to attend school meetings, revues, concerts, parenting evenings as well as hang around the school endlessly waiting for activities to end. Who knew you would go back to school?


- You not only have to get yourself out of the door in the mornings, but the little ones as well. Each successful drop-off at school with children fully clothed, with a packed school bag and a lunch box should get a medal. (How do parents with multiple children manage?) It is an accomplishment, and we should praise ourselves more for just doing this!

- You worry constantly about your child when they have no friends, and also when they have friends. What can you do to help them in getting friends? What can you do when the girl politics are making her miserable?

- You are always searching for misplaced stuff that's not yours! In the house. Going back to places. At school. Maybe life is preparing us for our own later years?

- How many times have you longed for that lunch box that got sent to school that comes back intact? Those times that you have emptied your purse at the last minute and you did not make your own lunch? Too many times!


Do you have any other points I can add to this list?

Would I change any of this?
No! But it helps to get it out of the system!

KEEP CALM

Ten ways to love your man

Relationship advice

It's September, and it's a great new season to start afresh with relationships.
Hubby and I do not even find the time for date nights anymore...
Checking my calender right away! Even though the budget is tight, we can still make a plan?

I needed to hear this today!
Maybe also you?

Janice Windt from Working Mothers Expo has great advice:

We know what it's really like. When you have young kids, a job to hold down and a house to run, it's not easy to find the time or energy to love your man...

But the truth is that we believe the most important thing you can do for your kids is love your man. And we mean LOVE. We mean look up to him, build him up in your children's eyes and let them see love modeled in your relationship. They will not see it anywhere else. They are more likely to experience the exact opposite in the world, their friends' homes and lives, everywhere really.

         Love is hard to find and hard work to keep... so let's get started.

Ten Ways To Love Your Man
1) Tell him he is awesome...

 Read more: 10 Ways to love your man 



The Working Mothers Expo, in partnership with MiWayLife, brings together everything working mothers need under one roof. It will be from 4-6 November 2016 at the Sandton Convention Centre.
The MCs are Elana Afrika and Claire Mawisa.

The Working Mothers Expo Tickets are available at Computicket now!




Disclaimer: I will be getting tickets to attend The Working Mothers Expo in November.

Working parents juggle it!

I got a Whatsapp message from the teacher today. Little Missy was complaining about her cheek, and the teacher thought it was a tooth!

I was in a conference and asked Hubby (also by IM) to phone the dentist to hear if they had an opening for the rest of the week for me to be able to take her.

He followed up, but they were fully booked.

In the meantime I was texting the teacher to ask her to give the little one a bit of Panado.

Then the dentist phone Hubhy again to inform him that they had an opening immediately. 

I must mention the following: Hubby started with a new job today! But off he went to fetch the Little Missy and to take her to the dentist.

I was texting him and the teacher, while trying to follow the conference proceedings...

She has a teeth that needs to be fixed, but not a big issue! In the meantime we will have to get her to sit still! (Not sure when that will happen?)

Hubby had an appointment with his new boss as well. He rocked up with Little Missy in tow, and apparently it wasn't a problem. (We hope!)

She got a little bit difficult in the end, I was told.

And her water bottle leaked all over Hubby's tablet and work papers. 

All in a day's work!

Thanks to my wonderful husband who did not hesitate to fetch the Little Missy, and who took her to his workplace on the first day of his new job!

That's how working parents juggle it!

Working Mother's Monday Blues

Miss the Little Miss today...
We had a whole weekend with her, and I always MISS her during the week!

We went to Skoobs, the ultimate bookish pleasure, at Montecasino yesterday. Dad spent some time with her in the children's book section.
We then all sat down with our books, and she paged through hers as well. Fetching new ones when she was finished with one...
She is a big girl already!

And today I miss her!

Luckily I have these questions to keep me occupied :-)
"Must we dance in the train?" (1-5-2013)
"Why do women have handbags and men don't? (1-5-2013)

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10 ways to get your husband to do what you want around the house

I had to smile at this title, and it made me read the list.

I am one of the lucky women whose husband does his fair share.
So far so, that he sometimes complains he is working his ass off in this house...

I don't have to ask my husband to help me. He just does! (Thank you!)

I wonder if these tips would really help in getting the man helping with all the mundane chores?
It seems to be a bit patronising?


But here it is for a good giggle on this Friday afternoon. The article was suggested from Housekeeping, and it can be read here:

10 ways to get your husband to do what you want around the house


1. Incentive 

2. Tit for Tat 

3. Logic 

4. Hysterical Tears 

5. Bribery 

6. Guilt Trip 

7. Work Together 

8. Ask the Right Way 

9. Make a List 

10. Go on Strike 

Back to the grind

The first day back at work, and the first day in a new class!

Hitting the ground running... Can't seem to shake the feeling of holiday! It has been great!

Our little one (which is not so little anymore) was a bit apprehensive this morning when we got to her new class. She knew where it was, and she was happily pulling her new Barbie trolley bag...

The teacher immediately recognised her and welcomed her in. Thanks to BBM communication the teacher even saw some holiday pics, and she commented on it.

Her cubicle for her bag was marked, and well as her place at the table. She has the sign of a heart this year.

But she held on tight when we had to leave, and we had to give her off in the arms of the teacher.

There was a tear (on my side - WHY? She's ok!), and my hand was shaking when I took the picture...

But here we go!
2013, we are flying off!

How is 2013 treating you so far?

Looking back, and looking ahead to 2013

2012 was a great year! It was the year of being sorted!

Sort of... ;-) (Life happens!!)

There was a lot of new beginnings...

We started out with a student going off to Varsity, and then having to deal with initiation stuff which seemed a lot orientation! I felt like I had failed my child, especially since it lasted for the whole year! Next year is definitely going to be much better for her with no more of these practices, which I totally abhor!

The toddler also started at a new pre-primary school, and we know we have made the right choice of moving her! She is extremely happy where she is, and can't wait for a new year with a new teacher in the Dinosaurs' class.

The toddler is four now, and sometimes she is still the toddler, and sometimes we see some of the little girl she is becoming!

I made a few new year's resolutions this year, and some were met. I lost a few kilograms, but next year I have to make serious plans for dieting and exercising. We are also now card carrying members of Virgin Active, and next year you will be seeing more of us there! (Yeees! Of course!)

Hubby went to Mauritius which left me a bit lot envious, but we got to spend some time at the coast as well. The toddler loved the sea this time around!

We definitely need to go on more holidays to recharge and to enjoy our beautiful country!
I did not get to go to Cape Town for a weekend, so it's on my vision board for next year again!
We have an upcoming holiday in Mpumalanga, and we can't wait!

I have studies as a major goal listed for 2013, and maybe this year I can complete my Masters with a longitudal study! (Putting it out there, Universe!!)

I loved loved my iPad this year, and a whole new world opened up to me because of the possibilities with regards the education value of iPads for children. (I am still thinking of taking it up at my child's school - there are ways to put it in every child's hand!)

It has not been a year of any major upheavals or problems in our lives! Yes, we are lucky!
Boring is sooooo good!

We had a near death-defying accident on the highway two weeks ago, and we got away with only a bumper that needs repairs! Yes, we are lucky!

Careerwise it seems we both will have to look into some changes... You know when you have reached the tipping point! When you need new challenges...
2013 seems like a good year for changes in our careers!

I am still working on my goals and visions for 2013.
I believe that it helps in steering us in a definite direction!

-----------


My best wishes for 2013! I hope all your dreams/goals come true!

What goals have you formulated for 2013?

Working mothers contemplating new studies

As I am contemplating to start studying again next year, this guest post had some valuable points to consider, especially when you are a working mother.

 

Moms are always looking to go back to school. [Or some of us...]

However, most of us also have either part-time or full-time jobs that they need to keep in order to support their growing families.

For what qualities should these dedicated and motivated parents search when looking for the best online degree programs?

Residency Requirements

While the term "online program" implies that all of the studies will take place over the computer, this is not always the case. Some schools will allow students to complete the majority of the program online, but they will need to attend the physical campus for a certain number of credits, specific programs or maybe even an entire semester. Parents must look into this component before enrolling. If they have a full-time job, they likely won't be able to take off for three months to go study on campus.

Class Meeting Requirements

When parents are working full-time and taking care of a household, it's best to look for programs that are as liberal and casual as possible in terms of strict time confines. Indeed, parents must complete their assignments by the date and time that they are due. However, they should look for programs that do not have online chat session meetings. For example, some classes might require that the entire group meet and chat every Monday and Wednesday night at 7. When the kids have gymnastics at 6:30 on Mondays and dance at 7:15 on Wednesdays, this arrangement does not work so well. A strict class schedule could be better for parents with older children.

Length of Study

It's unlikely that parents have the time to enroll in a program that could take them five to six years to complete, especially when they don't know what their children's schedules will be like that far down the road. The best degrees are usually the ones that take two to three years at most as that is generally in the foreseeable future for many families. Parents have somewhat of an idea of what their children's school and activities schedules will be like during that time frame.

A Beloved Discipline

Of course, one of the most important components of picking the best online degree program is for mothers to choose a path that they love. They're likely going back to school because they aren't happy with their current positions or because they want to advance themselves in their current field. Therefore, the best programs are the ones that will help parents truly accomplish their goals and to fulfill the dreams that they have had for themselves since they were children and teenagers. Furthermore, don't forget that school is stressful, and it's a lot easier to get through the day-to-day grind if you actually enjoy what you're learning about!!

The "best" online degrees are going to vary from person to person. A situation that works for one family may very well not work for another as all family dynamics are different. An MBA might be great for most people, but there will always be exceptions to the rule. Therefore, it's important for working parents to conduct research on a variety of different programs to find the one that is best suited for themselves, their families and their financial situation.


Kandi Trier writes about education, family and more. Her proudest piece is on the Top 20 Value Online MBA Programs.

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The sky is falling on our heads! Please!

We've got a bit of a cold spell going on in South Africa.

There's reports of some sort of rain ice-rain sleet snow falling in some part, and we are all making updates about the weather!

It is big excitement here!

Snow is not something that we see here on a daily basis. 

Not even on a yearly basis...

We ran out from our office when somebody told us that she is seeing something here in Johannesburg, but except for a few wet drops on the paving, there was nothing to see and to report...

I am thinking of my children who is at university and at pre-primary school, presumably freezing... Hope not!

While I am warm and snug in my office cubicle! (*Guilty!*)

Have you seen the snow?
Where?

UPDATE:
Yes, we've got snow! (12:00 pm)

Working moms and volunteering at school

Working mothers can never compete with SAHMs when it comes to volunteering at school. It is just not always possible to to be there.

With hindsight I am really grateful to my parents who always pitched in at school when there was a call for help. Now I really understand the effort on their part!

I have said yes to a couple of volunteering efforts at school, and afterwards felt that I had to overcommit and overextend myself! (The things you do for your children...)
Such as The Fundraiser last year!

One thing I have taken away from all these. It is okay to sometimes say NO! Your children will understand.

I read this nice list over at National Nannies that seems to be a good way to get involved without feeling done in afterwards.


10 ways working moms can volunteer at school:

1. Coordinate class parties through e-mail.  
2. Cut out or prepare things at home.  
3. Send money to help with a project. (I vouch for this one!)
4. Make calls at night.  
5. Provide extra school supplies.  
6. Ask your nanny to stand in for you.  (If you are as lucky to have a nanny!)
7. Join the PTA or PTO at your child’s school.  
8. Chaperone a field trip.  
9. Help with set up for an evening event.  
10. Volunteer to work at the concession stand.  

(Read more over at National Nannies)

The best thing that I have learnt is to always try to make an effort, but if it is not possible, 

never to feel guilty about it!

I am working because I have to, and because I want to give my child a better life!

First day at a new school

Finally, the first day at a new pre-primary school for The Toddler!
She is starting with a 4-year old group of kids.

I've had nightmares about it...

It feels like I am sending my child to real school for the first time! Everything is structured and organised.

But it's a beautiful place, and the teachers are qualified and very welcoming!

We made specially sure that The Toddler got enough sleep by doing a long sleep drive last night. It worked!

Until there was thunder and lightning! And she woke up again... (I felt like cursing the weather!)

So this morning she was still sleeping. She was supposed to eat something because they don't do breakfast at school anymore...
She was sleeping the whole new route we have to travel to school as well!

We were there early, before the gates opened, and showed her the play area through the fencing!
She showed some interest...

I also tried showing her what I packed in her bag, but she told me to put it back again! (*She's sorted!*)

We went to her class, and looked around. I was thinking of spending some time with her checking it out, but when the teacher tried to take her, she started to cry...

That's when we had to leave... With me crying as well!
And the Head of the School walking past with a smile and saying: "It is always the same in the New Year!"


I hope she's going to be okay?
What is a good time to phone the school? 10 o'clock?

A time of the year...

When the streets are beckoning...

When the malls are beckoning...

When the paths in the woods needs to be explored...

When the mountains are calling...



What are you still doing at the office?

Taking the Toddler to work

You know it is going to be hectic, but you don’t know how much. Toddlers are extremely busy!

Taking a toddler to work really need some multitasking. Luckily we had a party and some rugby on for the day...

I had to think of a lot of stuff for a toddler to do in the enclosed space of a studio:

• Making a “tent “with a chair, a blanket and a jacket.

• Clearing my desk so she can swing underneath.

• Going on an "expedition" to the coffee shop.

• Going on an "expedition" to the toilets.

• Playing with my Peanuts figurines in my office.

• Lots of paper and crayons.

• Giving her my BlackBerry so she can colour in. It involves a colour switch every five seconds which I had to help her with!

• Lots of snacks to keep her busy for five... seconds!

• Making a bed underneath the desk. She spent a few second there as well!

• Pressing all the buttons in my studio.

• Giving her the t-shirt hanging n my wall as she insisted on wearing it (the 3^rd outfit for the day) 

• Playing with the water dispenser and getting herself wet.

I was totally beat after that! And Missy had a good sleep in the car on the way home... 

What do you do to keep the children occupied at the office?

Photo: Mieka in my office with Springbok headgear (Rugby World Cup fever while we were still in the game)

Worst time of the day and working mother anger check

The worst time of day during the week is when you arrive home at half past four. The house is in a bit of a mess after we left it in a whirl in the morning. That needs some cleaning and straightening, and dinner needs to be prepared. Add a tired mother and a clingy demanding toddler and it gets a bit tricky...

I found myself last week screaming talking very loud when the toddler as usual was “washing dishes” with me. She was wet and the floor was wet... I saw the look of utter amazement of her face when I lost my cool! “What’s the matter, Mom?” or, more specifically “WTF?” “What is the BIG deal?”

CodeNameMama had a great article about awareness in anger last week. It came at exactly the right time! To become aware of the anger, to know where it is coming from, and to channel it correctly...

I did things differently from there! When the toddler wants to wash dishes with me, it is totally okay. I have decided not to freak out! What is a bit of water in the greater scheme of things? We take off her clothes for the duration of the washing session, and put it back on afterwards. And then dry the floor as well! It is not a train smash!

The biggest bonus! The playing with the water keeps the toddler occupied for a relative long period. Enough to get the dishwasher unpacked, and the dinner started...

How do you cope with suicide hour?

A day in the working mom

Wednesday 18-8-2010
A day in the life – Cat at Juggling Act of Life has done it, as well as Laura at Harassed Mom.

2:00 (bit foggy about the time) Mieka cries. I fetch her and bring her to our bed. Put her on the breast. I feel that she is burning hot from fever and gets up to put in a suppository. Dries fetches a damp cloth to put on her forehead. She tosses and turns until about 3 when the fever breaks.

5:00 Alarms go off. I switch mine off, and gets back into bed. (Mieka is still in bed with us). Dries switches his alarm off, and gets back into bed.

5:20 Dries gets up and shower.

5.35 Dries goes downstairs to start with breakfast and the lunch boxes. I snuggle a little bit closer with my sleeping toddler (no fever) next to me.

5:45 I get up and get dressed. Make-up as well.

5:57 Take out clothes that needs to be ironed.

6:00 I pick up the sleeping toddler and put on her clothes which I have selected the previous night. She sleeps through everything, even while combing her hair.

6:07 Go downstairs, and sits with her for a while on the breast.

6:15 I place the sleeping toddler in Dries’s arms. I collect all my stuff (lunch box and Mieka’s bag, with her bottles that has been prepared by Dries). I put my breakfast – boiled egg on toast (aka Dries) – on the front seat. I make sure that food and key is in place for the cleaning lady coming in for the week.

6:20 Dries places the sleeping toddler in her car seat. (Dries and the teen leaves a little bit later and he drops her off at her school).

6:30 I drop the sleeping toddler off at the crèche. I have to place her in another person’s arms and she cries. I have to leave her...

6:35 Sit in traffic and eat my breakfast and drink my morning herbal tea.

7:20 Arrive in the office. Start checking my emails, and check some blogs.

7:45 Drink coffee with colleagues.

8:10 Work!

12:30 Drive to school to fetch the teen. The school closes at 13:00 because they have an Open Day for next year’s grade 8 scholars.

13:25 Stop at McDonalds for a take-away.

13:35 Back at my work-station.

15:30 Leave work with the teen and colleague, Johann.

16:05 Pick up the toddler at the crèche. They tell me that she has been a bit difficult and complaining during the day.

16:15 Drops blind colleague on corner of his street.

16:25 Shop at the nearby Spar. The teen wants blue balloons, scrap book paper and felt-tip pens. We find the felt-tip pens at the Waltons next door.

16:50 Arrive home. Breastfeed the toddler.

17:00 Dries arrives home. He takes out haddock out of the freezer, and puts vegetables in the steamer.

17:15 I feed Mieka a bit of leftover pasta. She eats a little.

17:30 We play with Mieka – crayons and she plays with her “toilet”. She plays for a while in the teen’s room. We watch The Doctors (a fav) in the background!

18:00 We eat. With a glass of red wine! Mieka plays with her food.

18:30 We watch V.

18:40 Mieka falls asleep on the breast.

19:30 We bath the toddler who has woken up again.

19:50 Medicines for the toddler.

20:00 I announces that we are going to bed, and the toddler waves and kisses her Dad.

20:05 I read a book with the toddler.

20:10 I lie down with the toddler on our bed and breastfeed her. She falls asleep, but seems restless.

21:00 I give up and take the toddler downstairs again.

21:10 I blog. Dries spends a bit of time with the toddler.

21:20 Dries takes the toddler upstairs with a bottle.

21:35 Dries comes down again after the toddler had fallen asleep, and we watch some television.

22:30 I take a bath.

22:50 I try to take the toddler to her bed. She cries and I put her on the breast.

23:05 I try again to put her in her own bed. No success!

23:10 We get into bed with Mieka in-between.

(This is not a normal day! But I don’t think we have any “normal” days anymore...)

Have you noticed? I have a Saint for a husband! I couldn’t have done it without him!

PLaying Follow Friday 40 and over. Go and check Java at Never Growing Old for the rules:

The toddler is officially a walker

One of the biggest milestones has been reached: The toddler is walking! The day care has been telling us every day that she is walking further and further (from last week)! One of those awful irritations when you have to work! You don’t get to experience the first FIRSTS…
She has been doing the three steps for nearly a month, but now she is standing on her own, and WALKING! We can’t get enough of it, cheering her on with each step! Very cute!
She is thirteen and a half months old!
She skipped the crawling altogether. There are consequences because of it. (The worrying was not neurotic, after all!)
The crab creeping did not do the job. There is a lady who comes in to massage the babies at day care. (The lucky little fish! I am in my forties, and can only count on one hand how many times I had a massage. Now my little one is getting a weekly massage (which I am paying for)). Apparently Mieka’s neck is not stiff enough! When she is pulled upright by her hands, her head still hangs to the back.
I have to find ways of addressing this.
Do you have any ideas, or know of places where to search for information when a baby skipped the laying on the tummy and the crawling? (What if there are even bigger consequences later on when we don’t address it now?)
The little tortoise is walking! We are so proud!

(Photo: Gys Oosthuizen)

Related posts:

The personality of the toddler

The baby is a toddler

Baby update

Why go vertical when you can go horizontal?

Day two back in reality - school, day care and work report back

It is going well in 2010 for the family. We are back at our stations!
The teen is back at school – complaining about her class teacher, but happy to be reunited with the BF. She is planning to work hard in grade 11. They are planning with the French teacher for the French tour in 2011… (Of course it is a big headache for the parents who are going to have to finance it. I hope our ship is sailing already…)
The toddler is back at day care. It went very well when I went to drop her off. She was in such awe of the other babies; she did not even notice that she had been put down on the ground. (She usually complains loudly, and stretches her body to get upright.)
The day care person is very sweet. She reckons the babies/toddlers recognised her after the holidays. She also noticed no difference in Mieka; no spoilt behaviour. (Sigh of relief!!) I felt a slight bit jealous when one of the toddlers, she is two weeks younger than Mieka, is walking like a chump.
Why do we do it to ourselves? Comparing them? In a while Mieka is going to walk as well… We actually have a few weeks of grace before we are going to have to run after her. Arnia and I tried to get her to walk for a few steps yesterday afternoon, but Mieka would not have any of it. The finger or nothing!
I am back at work as well. After a day of wading through emails, and starting to work, it feels like I have never left! But I am not complaining. I have a great job listening to radio programmes and cataloguing them. Great to see my colleagues as well! Really! REALLY! (Evil smile)
Dries is still on holiday, but running around between the office and home. Unofficially he has started to work as well! I tried to start dinner with rice on the stove, but after it started to pop (not enough water or attention), I phoned Dries and we resorted to pizza! Real rescue food!
Healthy eating starts today! Today, Karen!! (Grimace)

The Red Beardy Man

We are in this time of the year again. It is Mieka’s first Christmas coming up. They had a Father Christmas at the crèche last Friday. We missed it, of course, one of the many firsts we missed already… (Stop the whining, Karen.) She was not impressed and cried when she saw the Red Beardy Man. There are a lot of children who are not impressed with the Red Beardy Man. We suspected beforehand that she would not be impressed, because she cried when we showed her Ronald McDonald at McD’s.
These Red Men are scary! Babies do not like them! Now we have to desensitize our children to start liking them? But we all do it!
Why do we bother? Maybe it is the connection with presents which do it in the end? Somewhere they start to react with glee and anticipation when they see the Red Beardy Man. Maybe because we remember how much we used to enjoy Christmas time with a Father Christmas and presents. In the time before our bubbles got burst and we learnt that it is actually our parents who gave us the presents. Why can’t we say from the beginning the presents are coming from us? We lie for years about things like Father Christmas and the tooth fairy.
I’m a sucker for traditions and fun, so I know we will also be doing the tree and the presents for Mieka. Strange the things we learn our children… Am I just being neurotic and over thinking, or is the X-mas gloom of the period getting to me already?

Transporters Deluxe

Parents are transporters of teenagers. I am still on the transporting theme…
Our parents were luckier than us. We used to go around on our bicycles, and we used to walk a lot more than the children of today. (Wow that could have been my grandmother saying that! I AM getting old!)
Our parents did not have to drive us everywhere like we do with our children. Is this a global phenomenon, or is it more so in South Africa? With our crime problems and bad driving cited as some of the main reasons for not allowing our children to go by themselves - by bicycle or by walking. Getting the bus is also not an option, because we have such a bad public transport system. It does not cater for everybody – we don’t have buses going to our neighbourhood. It has become a daily grind for all parents to drive their children to school, including all the extra-mural activities.
I think our children are losing out on:
- not being active as much as we used to;
- not learning about traffic rules while being taxied;
- not smelling the crisp fresh air;
- not learning about independence;
- not enjoying the solitude of a walk or a bicycle ride.
Our children can’t even ride a bicycle in our townhouse complex, because all the dogs start barking. We have definitely lost something in our urban jungle!

Parents = Transporters

Parents of teenagers are transporters or taxi drivers of teenagers. It feels like our mission in life has been redirected to having to ensure our teens are driven to and fro.
I got a frantic sms from Arnia on Friday that they are going to be finished with exams at 9 o’clock. She needed to be fetched earlier. The original plans were that they were supposed to write until 11. It gave them an hour or more to learn, but then the teachers decided it would be better for them to write immediately and go home! Nice, teachers! Better for you, but definitely not for the children who could actually have learnt something. It is also definitely not better for the parents who have to leave their jobs and rush to go and fetch. Arnia had to wait for 2 hours at school before Dries could go and fetch her. She assured me that she was one of the last students to be fetched. (But I know she exaggerates sometimes!) How do all the others parents manage? Is it just me who struggles, or do other parents also find it difficult to rush to all the transporter demands?
And don’t forget all the social engagements a teenager has to attend. Going to the movies, parties, meeting with friends and the boyfriend… that’s what the weekends are for. Dries is very understanding with regards the social needs of a teen and he is always willing to transport Arnia. He struggled himself when he was young and were not always given the opportunity to go out. I am very grateful to him, because Arnia’s biological dad always had a problem to go and fetch her, even though he took her to a place, but then complained when he had to fetch her again. She was most of the times too scared to ask him, because he complained that she did not spend enough time with him. (Go figure that she is fed-up with him!)
My dad was also always willing to transport us. We only had to ask him, but never assume or order him to do it. Thanks, Dad! Now we have to be the transporters ourselves, and now we appreciate your and mom’s taxi driver roles even more!