I'm Trying New Things and Breaking Out of My Everyday Routine

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As many of you know, I recently moved.  This move required a lot of changes to everyone's routine in our home.  Changing schools, changing shopping habits, downsizing to a smaller house and getting used to living together a bit more closely are only a few of the changes that we are still getting used to.  We also are becoming accustomed to our new surroundings and living in a very small town, which is a new and different experience for all of us.  Out of all these changes to our routine I would have to say that the change to our everyday school routine has been the most challenging - yet the most rewarding.

This is a picture of my two oldest sons, Oscar and Benji, waiting at their bus stop in front of the home that we moved from.  I loved that bus stop because it was super close to the house, the kids literally got themselves to and from school each day while I waved happily from the doorstep in my PJ's.  Those were the days!

At their new school its a completely different routine.  It was tough finding a home that would fit all of us comfortably and in an area that we were comfortable with.  The trade off to living in the neighborhood that we chose meant that we are just out of the borders of the elementary that we wanted for them to attend.  The school district here is pretty open to whatever school you want to take your children to as long as you plan to drive them if bus transportation isn't provided.  So now each morning its a mad dash to get not only my 7 and 5 year old out the door but my 2.5 year old as well.  I have to get all three kids and myself packed up for a four minute drive to school and a four minute drive back.  This has meant making sure that each morning the car is warmed up, my two year old is properly dressed for the weather and I look some semblance of decent.  Which, for those that know me, all of those combined is a near impossible task.

To make matters just a little worse because the town is so small they have combined the school hours for the elementary, middle and high school to be the same so that all the kids can ride the same bus.  One more reason I think that I'm glad I ended up having to drive my kids to school.  I could just see them now trying to fit in with the high schoolers on the bus!  Anyways, this means that my oldest has to be in class by 8 AM.  At their old school class didn't start until 8:55, the kids didn't even have to be at the bus stop until 8:30!

This new time frame is still taking a bit of getting used to.  We all have to get up about an earlier than we were used to and we are all still learning to get in bed a little bit earlier in the evening to make up for it.  I can say on more than one occasion its been hard for one or more of us to get out the door on time.

The biggest change in routine having to do with this new school schedule is the kindergarten schedule.  Benji was in the all day kindergarten program at his old school.  Each day BOTH boys were gone all day.  It was heaven.  At the new school Benji is only in school in the afternoon class.   So he spends his mornings terrorizing his little brother before I have to make my second trip to school and drop him off for class.  And for the second time in one morning I have to pack up my two year old and get him into the car for a ten minute round trip.

On days when I can't sucker my husband into picking the boys up from school I have to pack the little one up for a third time and haul him off to the school with me.  Only this trip, he gets to come out of the car and into the school to find his big brothers.  Which is a total nightmare simply because my little guy is probably three times louder than any adult could ever be.  The minute he walks into the school EVERYONE and I mean EVERYONE knows it.  Its SO embarrassing!  He insists on walking into his brothers' classes and yelling their names out loud.  If I try to hold him back or pick him up he screams at the top of his lungs, "Mommy NOOOOOO!!!", which is also pretty embarrassing.  I hate to be a disruption but with this kid around silence isn't an option.  I'm still trying to convince Oscar to get Benji in his class and then walk outside where I can wait for him in the parking lot.  So far he's not sold on the idea and insists that either myself or his dad pick him up personally.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that he changes his mind about this sooner rather than later - but I know my son so I'm not holding my breath!

We have been living our new schedule for just over a month now and I think we are finally sinking in to the new routine.  I love that I have also managed to finagle my husband into picking the boys up from school most days.  He now gets to chat with the teachers and get the scoop about whats going on in class.  They boys love that their dad is more involved and that he can see for himself what they are doing in class.  Before he only went to the school for parent teacher conferences so this is a really positive change in my opinion.  This is one part of our new routine that I hope never changes!
Overall, I think that going to this school will ultimately be a great experience for my children.  Its a small town school, with small town ideals.  They are very honor system based which I find oddly refreshing.  I may be at the school many times throughout the day but at least when I walk in - everyone all ready knows who I am.  And that I come complete with an obnoxious two year old as my sidekick.  Oscar has less homework at this school than the last which equals less evening fights about homework, which is nice.  Benji may only have half days but the teachers really pack in a lot of work and I think that the expectations are a bit higher for him here, which I think will be great for him.  Their new school isn't as new and big as the old school but where it lacks in size it makes up for in heart.







*This post was sponsored through Clever Girls Collective. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and monetary compensation did take place. Please refer to my disclosure policy or email me if you have any questions.*