My School Pick-Up Challenge
Tsofia’s school is 7 minutes from my house. To clarify, that’s 7 minutes if I’m walking on my own.
But that’s rarely the case.
Usually, when I go to pick up 7-year-old Tsofia, I am walking with Tsofia’s younger brothers–4-year-old Yaakov and 2-year-old Yonatan. It is either broiling hot or cats-and-dogs raining. And in accordance with the Universal Law of Pick-Ups, if Yaakov and Yonatan are not kvetching about one thing or another, then, upon pick-up, Tsofia will be.
That is how 7 minutes can expand into a 45-minute down-and-up-the-hill saga. Into a JewishMOM eternity.
Thankfully, I don’t have to go to Tsofia’s school so often–only twice a week when Tsofia ends 40 minutes earlier than the 7th grader who usually takes her home.
But late last night, as I was cleaning my kitchen and dreading the eternal shlep down to the school and back today, I had an out-of-the-blue idea. I realized that on the days when the younger grades end at 2:50, Tsofia’s best friend waits at the school until 3:30 for her older sisters to take her home. Maybe Tsofia could also wait for the older girl who takes her back and forth? On top of the obvious benefit of saving me the shlep, Tsofia would have a built-in playdate (which wouldn’t requiring me to plan with another mother, or, more likely, without having to explain to Tsofia why I had forgotten yet again to plan with another mother.)
Early this morning, I asked Tsufy what she thought about this idea. She jumped up and down with “Yesh!” glee. And the girl who takes her texted back that she was fine with taking Tsofia every day.
Which reminded me of something I Eureka re-realize from time to time…
Like the time I stopped getting angry at my kids for not cleaning my house as well as a cleaning lady, and hired a cleaning lady instead.
Like the time I stopped getting frustrated about all the dirty dishes our Shabbat guests leave behind, and started using disposables instead.
Like the time I stopped getting upset about my hour-and-a-half daily commute taking my daughter to an excellent gan in a different neighborhood, and started sending to the gan next door instead (which, I discovered, was just as good).
Realizing all the things in my life I grumble over, when, in fact, it would be better for everyone involved if I would finally stop grumbling and take the easy way out instead.
Brilliant! 3 cheers for technical success 🙂
Awesome
I recently heard a great question to adopt…
“What else is possible?”
Just saying it aloud opens my mind, lightens my load, and reminds me that there are (almost) always other possibilities.
Shana tova,
Nili
great idea, yasher koach
I love this too!
HaShem should continue to give you and all us mom’s these amazing eureka moments(we need as many as we can get)! Thanks for sharing!!!