The concept of time

When my children were younger, I remember thinking how I couldn’t wait until they understood the concept of time – the yesterday, today, tomorrow stuff or even could tell time – at least digital time anyway. …”when is so and so’s birthday?” “tomorrow” “did I miss it?” “no, it’s tomorrow” “is tomorrow today?” OR “so and so begins at 4:00 this afternoon” “is it 4 yet?”…ten minutes later “is it 4 yet?”… another ten minutes later “is it 4 yet?” and so it continues until 4 and you just wished you hadn’t told them anything until they were climbing in the car to go - you get the picture.

Well, low and behold, all my children now fully understand the time concept! Yay…or so I thought….well, guess what comes with it – the concept of deadlines!!!! And boy, Lauren is ruthless and has no mercy!!! Last night at 10:00 as I was basically in zombie mode, nodding at most conversation, but definitely not engaging, Lauren proceeds to tell me about all these things she needs money for at school and all the permission slips signed. Of course, this spurs on Hannah and Joseph time chime in as well…did I mention it was 10:00 pm! I dart my eyes from left to right, trying to spot my “partner in parenting” and of course, he is nowhere to be found. So I proclaim, in a whiny voice that was certainly not mine… “Enough! We will talk about it all tommmmooooorrroooowwww.” “But mama, we have to have this stuff turn in by…” And at this point, I kissed them all on the forehead and shut my bedroom door. I assume they got the point or either they turned on Joshua.

This afternoon will be full of signing permission slips and handing out money for this and that. I just truly hope that none of that stuff was due today…!