Mother Moments

I am running out of pre-schools for my daughter Kathryn to attend.

I keep burning bridges at all the schools in town. I have this problem. I am chronically late. It's a disease and I am hoping someone finds a cure quickly! At the last two pre-schools my kids attended, I was too late too often and I am afraid to even show my face again there!

Last year my daughter Kathryn attended Learning Dynamics in Riverton. On most days, I was almost always the last mom to pick her up, but on a couple of occasions I was so late, she had to be babysat by the director herself (I know I am filled with shame as I am writing!). The first time I was just at Costco trying to fit in a few more items before I raced out. But I never anticipated how much time it would take me to get checked out and back to school. I think I was 10 minutes late. When I arrived, Kathryn was coloring at the front desk with the director. The director was a good sport about it, greeted me warmly and said it was "no problem." The second time I took an ill-advised trip downtown with not even remotely enough time to get back. I was sure I could squeeze the errand in. I was about 15 minutes late. Again, Kathryn was sitting at the front desk coloring, and the director was again a good sport about it. The third time (I know, there actually is a third time,) I was at home. Doing nothing. I just plain forgot. One moment I was cleaning or something, the next I was in a panic because I couldn't find Kathryn. I then realized with horror that she was at pre-school, but her session ended a half hour ago. I guess they were so used to me being late, that they didn't even bother to call me. I raced over and again Kathryn was sitting at the directors desk, but this time the director wasn't smiling as broadly. She said to me, "Kathryn got to finish her whole picture this time." Ughh. I wanted to crawl under the table. She said she asked Kathryn where I was and that Kathryn replied: "Oh, she is shopping at Costco." The director must have thought I lived at Costco.

This year Kathryn is at Challenger. I hope to have a better record this year. Because I don't know how many more preschools there are left in the valley!