The first alarm goes off at 4:45 a.m. with the additional bells following closely behind. My morning routine is calling me— workout, journal, and shower. Then, spending the next 45 minutes attempting waking up my son in between applying mascara and brushing my teeth, we somehow make it out the door. After work I rush home. Some days I get back only to quickly check on my son’s day before rushing off to my second job; others, I am quickly making dinner before driving here and there, off to sit in the uncomfortable chairs at karate, off to take my son to yet another appointment, off to his Cub Scout meeting, etc. I only have time for family.
What is a weekend?
Weekends are filled with running errands and more work for me. Between teacher to-dos and logging hours at my second job, the weekends are rarely relaxing. When I can, it’s popcorn and movie parties with my favorite eleven-year-old or trips to The Henry Ford, the Detroit Zoo, or the state park. Maybe it’s even trashing the kitchen with crazy science experiments and baking adventures.
The daily grind is enough to make me want to hide.
My anxiety rises just thinking about that stuff. All the directions I’m pulled. Something is going on almost every night, which I know isn’t rare for school-aged parents. Practice, school events, work meetings. That hustle isn’t ending any time soon.
Like many moms and dads, I’m in that season of life where all I have time for is work and my family. I don’t have time to waste on petty drama or your opinions of my priorities.
The joy of missing out.
Sure, I have a bittersweet feeling watching social lives and girls nights play out on Instagram and Facebook. I miss friendships and adult social outings, but I love my Free People sweats, too. More importantly, I know one day soon, my tween boy isn’t going to want to indulge me in movie night and traditions. He won’t want to be part of our little “mommy and me” family all the time. He will want to go to games and see movies with friends. Talk to them, be with them.
So, I soak up the time I have now as limited as it is. And pardon me if I only have time for my little family.
