It’s Sunday night. I’ve got a punch list of things to get done before I lay down tonight, and though I’d love to be curled up in bed with a book, I know I’ve got to get this stuff done, or tomorrow morning will be hell. And I’ve only got one kid to get out the door.

Some mothers are so organized, they have the whole week planned. Me, I’m usually only one day ahead. Tonight, I’ll get everything ready for tomorrow, so when I wake up at 5:30AM, it will be a smooth process from bed to door. The way organized moms get an over the door organizer or those organizers that drape over hangers, and plan out their kids’ outfits for the week. Handy, if you’ve ever had to stop in the middle of the morning gauntlet and change a milk-drenched kid. I’ll just lay out his school uniform, with socks and shoes and undies and sweater. Then I’ll plan what I’m going to wear, and make sure i know where everything is.

With clothes out of the way, I’ll pack our lunches, too. Breakfast for the kid, since I can’t stand what passes for breakfast at his school. I’ll also get a jump on tomorrow night’s dinner, and cook up a Curry Rice with Chicken something or other, combining packaged, slow cook rice with raw chicken and frozen vegetables. Kitchen clean up. Book bag and purse and computer bag by the door.

Check the laundry, iron a shirt or two. Am I still thinking on my feet? Then it’s time to go upstairs and plug in all these indespensable electronics I seem to have sprouted in the last few days: a Walkman, Sony’s version of the iPod, cause i’m not cool enough to merit the white headphones. My home mobile, since I don’t have a land line any more, it’s a Very Bad Idea if my cell phone goes dead. But now I also have the work mobile phone, which has so many bells and whistles I despair of ever figuring out how it actually works. But it sure does come in handy when I’m waiting to hear about something from work, and I’m out enjoying the Air and Space museum with my crazy little astronaut kid.

Bed. Oh please, bed. After the tooth brushing and the wrinkle cream, it’s time for bed. But of course, I’ll be too tired to read my book. The dawn comes so soon.

morning commute, mornings, motherhood, Mothering, organization