strike. day 1.5

i am on strike. i don't condone this, as it is very hard to be on strike and it could be interpreted as giving up or quitting.... but i don't care. i got to a point where i felt like all i did all day was shout out orders and correct kids... while driving them, watching, and doing all things kids. the kids were in vbs last week. it was awesome. the kids loved it and miss it. however, i may have bit off more than i could handle this early in handling 5 children. it started at 8:30 and it was a real challenge to get everyone up, fed, in their color they were assigned to and out the door on time. i think we were there on time 2 days out of 5.

i was really looking forward to meeting some friends on friday for breakfast right after drop off. after i got out of the shower that morning (god forbid i actually take a shower) i expected everyone to be already fed from the breakfast i had set out and in the car waiting for me wearing the clothes i washed and laid out. instead i came out to everyone happily dancing around to the radio in their pajamas making a huge breakfast using every pot and pan in the kitchen. well let's just say things did not go as planned.

this made me so upset on so many levels. so i decided to go on strike. i decided to put away anything that i get out and do only things that pertain to me or baby R.

without going into too many details....

here are a few things i have already noticed as of day 2:

1. being on strike is a lot harder than i thought. the first day i woke up, rolled out of bed and before even making it into the kitchen, i made the bed, closed the door which was left wide open, flushed the toilet which was full of someone else's sweet surprise, changed the toilet paper roll, and put away the milk which was sitting out on the table. this whole "ignoring the mess" is going to take some practice...

2. the kids are fighting just as much as when i was trying to "handle" every situation the right way. it is surprising how many times they will actually work things out on their own. i think i even notice the nice things they do for one another more when i am not mad at the last thing they did.

3. the kids really don't care if the house is a mess. they do not care if their room gets out of control. they do not care if they have to put laundry away more than they need to, they will still put clean clothes in the dirty clothes basket.

4. when i am not suggesting outfits to wear... tap shoes and a winter sweater dress are worn to the performance for the last day of vacation bible school.

5. i am losing confidence in my strike because i don't think anyone even notices and i am afraid of the mess i am eventually going to have to clean up.