Last week I needed to pick up Sweet One after school rather than have her ride the bus home. She attends a new school this year and instead of 200 sixth graders, there are over 800 seventh grade students alone.
I called the school and requested she be informed of this change in regular plans. The practice is for the office to deliver a note to the student's teacher which is then passed on to the student.
Ten minutes prior to the end of the school day I arrived and waited in the parents' pick up line. Half an hour later, there was no Sweet One. I parked and went inside. The office confirmed a note was sent to the classroom, but Sweet One could not be found. Rather than panic, I returned home to await the bus.
Another half an hour later, the bus with my elder child finally arrived. When she exited, she was upset and very apologetic. She said while she was waiting for the bus, her teacher approached and told her: "I guess I should have given this to you sooner."
With the bus pulling up she made a judgment call: run out to the front of the school to see if I were still there or take the bus and not risk being left stranded at school. She made a damn good call. While irritated at the teacher, I was proud of her.
Because she is in band and participates in sports and other extra-curricular activities, I decided to add her to my mobile calling plan for the cost of a new phone and another $10 a month. To my way of thinking that is an inexpensive price for what remains of my peace of mind.
She now has a phone and is absolutely and unequivocally ecstatic, even though she understands that is strictly for emergencies and for me to keep tabs on her. She knows it is not a toy for her to text and gossip with her little friends.
It is no secret I love and adore both my daughters; however, I am not blind to their natures and habits.
Sweet one
is sweet natured. Wee One is a miscreant; however, delightful.
While the little one is much like me in that she awakes early and easily with a smile on her face, Sweet one is definitely NOT a morning person. Her wont is to laze in bed until noon and it is a constant struggle to get her up in the morning, even though she genuinely loves school and never complains about going.
As with most people, mornings are hectic. There are two dogs to attend to and I have to get myself and two others up and prepared to greet the day. With the dueling objectives of keeping mornings
sane and completing the routine in an efficient manner, I struggle with losing my temper when Sweet One requires repeated admonitions to GET UP!
Her room is upstairs and I have long entertained the notion of tying a rope to her toe and yanking. At my insistence, her alarm clock is positioned across the room, but she has the ability to sleep through noise, as well as sleep walk to it, shut it off, and stumble back to bed without losing a Z.
When a plan comes together, no matter how
infantile, it is great cause for celebration
This morning sweet revenge was all
mine.
Two minutes before her alarm was to go off, I stood at the bottom of the stairs and called Sweet One on her mobile phone.
Within seconds she was up and scrambling to find the damn little thing. As soon as she answered, I hung up.
There was a moment or two of complete silence before she wailed: "MMMOOOOOOMMMM!!"
{{Insert evil laughter}}
