Back to school is upon us and we mamas all have different feelings and emotions about that first day back. Summer goes by quickly, and if you are sending your first child off to JK you suddenly realize that a little life goes by quickly too. Some mamas have a little teary in the eye as the tiny students wave good-bye from the school gate ,wearing backpacks big enough for them to fit into.
Then there are mamas like me. We load the kiddos on the school bus and do the happy dance down the street. The post carrier gets a high-five before we make it home. I’m told that I may feel those sentimental pangs when my very last child goes off to school, but I wouldn’t be putting any money on it.
This September my score sheet is as follows: three down, two to go. That first day couldn’t come soon enough simply because I can not listen to any more bickering. I have re-named my family by deed pole – we are now officially known as The Bickersons.
Veteran mamas tell me the bickering is not going away any time soon. The bickering puts me completely over the edge when I’m in the mini-van with the lot of them. Five kids in car seats and boosters means there is no vehicle around that separates them appropriately. They are always within reach of each other. I have been known to pull over on highways, ripping out car seats and re-locating boosters in hopes of strategically separating the most obnoxious combinations of kiddos. Short of doing that, I’d be looking for the nearest bridge to drive over.
Our last week of summer transformed my house into my mini-van. With five kids at home and no camps, I hosted Bickerfest 2008.
As most “mamas of many” can attest, the more children you have, the sooner they join in on the bickering. My 22-month-old gets in on the action and the newly three-year-old has bickering skills that make me think she must have been practicing back when she was hanging out in my uterus.
I fondly remember a time when I had three babies/toddlers who were all non-verbal and in diapers. Most qualify those years as the hardest times for mama since it also involves severe and prolonged sleep deprivation. During that time, new parents are always keen for the walking and talking milestones. Well, mark my words – that time comes quickly and you’ll find yourself wondering if they ever just sit down and shut up. In these last days of summer, I have mourned those days of silence.
I’m the kind of mama who comes up with strategies to deal with undesired behaviours. We have a “Peace-Keeper” award where kiddos are rewarded for minimizing conflict. Re-enforcement is the cornerstone of any smart behaviour plan and I have certainly seen some results.
My other strategy has turned out to be a bit of an expense with all the material and construction costs involved, but I’m counting the days until my sound-proof room (the “playroom”) in the basement is finally complete.
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