Working Parents
To make ends meet, most families have to have working parents. No question. Well, how do you juggle all the requirements of your child's school and extra-curricular activities when each one seems to think and expect that you have ample time to dedicate to their cause?
Kindergarten hasn't even started and already we are expected at a 9:00 am event to "parent network" tomorrow morning; a 5:00 pm Back to School Night on Thursday (no kids allowed - so find a sitter on almost no notice - we did); a 1:00 pm assessment on Friday that takes 15 minutes; and $75 worth of school supplies. The kids have Friday and Monday off except for their individual 15 minute window for their assessment. Picture Day is next Tuesday. The Principal sent out an email and part of it talked about getting involved with the PTA. They meet at 3:00 in the afternoon once a week. How, pray tell, is a working parent supposed to get involved when the meetings are smack in the middle of the workday. Working parents need not apply.
Chinese school starts up again soon. I need more supplies, a dance costume for Chinese New Year, and about 3 hours every Saturday morning to sit and wait for Prima. I actually love Chinese school and the friendships I have made while she is in class, and I don't begrudge them the communal school supplies ... it's just one more thing on the pile. There will also be rehearsals this year in the evenings leading up to CNY which will cut into karate class.
Prima just started karate. The location where she takes it offers one evening class at 5:30. All others are at 4:00. And you are expected to go at least twice a week. And the location 7 minutes from our house is closing so we have to drive about 20 minutes to the other location and they offer no classes after 4:45. Um, I don't get off of work until 4:30. Now I have to find people to run my kid to karate at least 2 days a week. I do it because it's already motivating her and building her confidence and she needs that more than anything.
All of this is just for Prima. We also have Segunda to think about. She has at least one medical appointment per week, often it's two.
Husband travels and I'm pretty sure I'm only one person. I feel a little blind-sided by all of this. I truly didn't expect so many time commitments from kindergarten right out of the gate. Other first time kindergarten parents, are you experiencing similar "demands" on your time? What extra-curricular activities do you have your kids involved with? How are you organizing yourselves to get it all done?
Veteran parents of school-age kiddos - have a good laugh. I find this all very stressful and my daily routines are being turned upside down. And I don't "network." I find it to be bad for my overall attitude.
Kindergarten hasn't even started and already we are expected at a 9:00 am event to "parent network" tomorrow morning; a 5:00 pm Back to School Night on Thursday (no kids allowed - so find a sitter on almost no notice - we did); a 1:00 pm assessment on Friday that takes 15 minutes; and $75 worth of school supplies. The kids have Friday and Monday off except for their individual 15 minute window for their assessment. Picture Day is next Tuesday. The Principal sent out an email and part of it talked about getting involved with the PTA. They meet at 3:00 in the afternoon once a week. How, pray tell, is a working parent supposed to get involved when the meetings are smack in the middle of the workday. Working parents need not apply.
Chinese school starts up again soon. I need more supplies, a dance costume for Chinese New Year, and about 3 hours every Saturday morning to sit and wait for Prima. I actually love Chinese school and the friendships I have made while she is in class, and I don't begrudge them the communal school supplies ... it's just one more thing on the pile. There will also be rehearsals this year in the evenings leading up to CNY which will cut into karate class.
Prima just started karate. The location where she takes it offers one evening class at 5:30. All others are at 4:00. And you are expected to go at least twice a week. And the location 7 minutes from our house is closing so we have to drive about 20 minutes to the other location and they offer no classes after 4:45. Um, I don't get off of work until 4:30. Now I have to find people to run my kid to karate at least 2 days a week. I do it because it's already motivating her and building her confidence and she needs that more than anything.
All of this is just for Prima. We also have Segunda to think about. She has at least one medical appointment per week, often it's two.
Husband travels and I'm pretty sure I'm only one person. I feel a little blind-sided by all of this. I truly didn't expect so many time commitments from kindergarten right out of the gate. Other first time kindergarten parents, are you experiencing similar "demands" on your time? What extra-curricular activities do you have your kids involved with? How are you organizing yourselves to get it all done?
Veteran parents of school-age kiddos - have a good laugh. I find this all very stressful and my daily routines are being turned upside down. And I don't "network." I find it to be bad for my overall attitude.
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