Complicated

Whenever I am proud of a parenting decision it tends to come back and bite me.  I registered the minions for the "before" and "after" kindergarten care program waiting list long before Molly and Jack's first birthday.  Now, after years on a waiting list, we just found out there is no space for them and very few other options that will get the minions to school.  Just when I thought I had it all figured out, clearly I do not.

Next I had the bright idea that since Chris was the one who went to kindergarten registration, I'd take it upon myself to go to the kindergarten orientation unaccompanied with the minions tow.  That was not a good idea!

After a lot of deliberation, along with recommendations from our ECE workers and Jack's speech therapy team we decided it would be best to put the kids in separate classes.  This will encourage them to build their own friendships, identities and avoid direct competition and comparison.  Jack has particularly excelled since being separated from his sister at pre-school.  What could go wrong?

In our grandiose vision of what school would be, we overlooked one key, yet highly important factor: logistics.

• Two separate drop-offs and pick-ups at two different, albeit fairly close, locations
• Two sets of homework, (do kindergarten kids even get homework?)
• Two teachers to contend with

The kicker, all of these items we had planned and requested.

I remember how excited other parents were when they introduced full day kindergarten in Ontario.  It was going to solve everyone's child care problems.  The only issues being the split shift I need to fill every morning before 9am and every afternoon post school until work is over AND that pick-up and drop-off is going to be a daily regime of attempting to solf the riddle about the sheep, the wolf, the cabbage and the river.

I am very well aware that this is a photo of a goat, not a sheep...but he's pretty cute either way!

During kindergarten orientation it became clear that I had inadvertently registered myself for the multi-tasking Olympics.  I had to listen to announcements for each child to determine what room they'd be visiting, get them in the proper line, give them name tags, introduce them to their teacher, ensure that they were comfortable and okay all the while trying to keep two very excited children quiet because they were over the moon that they were visiting KINDERGARTEN!!!  Once they were in their rooms, I attended the parental session and then was told to go inside to meet my child's teacher....hmmm....wait, I needed to be two places at once?

As I navigated two partial sessions with teachers with one or more children at my side, I was stressed, exhausted and ready to go home.   No matter what I was doing, I was ignoring the needs of one of my kids during an exercise that was supposed to make us all more comfortable with next year. Classes don't start until September and I am far from the land of comfort.

When we decide to take the leap into parenthood we are lured into reading a ton of books about pregnancy and attending classes about labour or what to expect in the first year.  As interesting as it is to know that my babies were the size of an avocado in my belly at a specific point in my pregnancy, I should have probably been focusing efforts on filling out college admission forms or something else instead.  Are we the only ones who struggle with learning how to get spaces for the affordable municipal swim lessons?

In the spirit of education here are some classes that I have definitely needed as a parent:

• The Black Hole of Panic (AKA stop Googling that rash and go to sleep)
• They'll Do It When They're Ready (An introduction to toilet training & patience)
• Mastering Awkward Small Talk With Other Parents
• Daycare Wait lists - Begging, Borrowing & Other Negotiation Tactics

Follow me on Twitter @Sarabethbug

To get access to the newest posts from Multiple Momstrosity and more on Facebook click here and follow today!