Thursday, January 07, 2010

It Is Like They KNOW

I've crossed over into the darkside of parenting. Actually stressing out about preschools. Getting riled up about freaking PRESCHOOL, people. God.

By May, Becca will have already finished two years of preschool. I started her in one that accepted late cut-off birthdays so that I could have a little ME TIME. I just wanted Mother's Day Out. But that doesn't exist up here in the north. So, she did pre-3 when she was 2. And she started pre-4 when she was 3. She still has another year to go before Kindergarten. So, I decided to move to her a different pre-4 program at another place.

No biggie.

Except try breaking into a pre-4 program. Not as easy as it seems. All the pre-3s have already signed up for the following year. There are very few spaces, unless you want to do 5 days a week afternoons (which I do not.)

The one place I really want her to go had 4 or 5 seats open. Today was registration day and it was to begin at 8 a.m. The director told me to get there early! So I did! I got there at 3:15 a.m. Like a total jackass.

Who am I, people? Really. Where is the old Katie? Because she never, EVER would have done that shit. But, it was either that or homeschool. And you KNOW the old Katie well enough to know that ain't happening. So there I was in my car. Four o'clock rolled around. I was still the only one there. Five o'clock. Six o'clock. Still the only freaking person there. I've never listened to that much NPR at once. Finally at 6:30 a few others came in.

I SAT THERE FOR THREE HOURS UNECESSARILY!

I could have been sleeping!

But, she got registered. I was first and I got my space and I don't care that all the other moms think I'm a total and complete helipcopter parent (which, I swear, I am not. Usually.)

So, what do you think happened next? After being awake since 3 a.m.? I needed a big nap, right? The kids have been great nappers lately. Predictable. Fabulous.

But guess who didn't need one? Just guess. I'll give you a hint. He is small and getting on my last nerve right now. And guess who is so caffeinated she might just shake herself off the ground?

(Like a helicopter.)

7 comments:

Angie said...

Oh, they DO know. Ashlyn is in an afternoon preschool, because I we moved after the main registration time. When I realized that places were filling up, I just enrolled her anyway. It has sort of worked out, because Christopher naps while she is in preschool, so I do get some time to myself. She LOVES it, which is the biggest thing for me with preschool.

Kayris said...

I have two fall babies. My daughter is 3 in the 2 year old class and my son is 5 in the 4 year old class. When I signed my son up for his first year, I was starting to panic because I had refused--REFUSED--to sign up my unborn fetus for school. And then of course every place was full, had been full for the past 26 billion years. The program they are in sort of fell into our lap and worked out. But I didn't get up at 3AM. Sorry, but I can't help but laugh. Hope you had plenty of coffee. Luckily, no one called the cops to say, "this weird woman has been sitting outside preschool for hours!! Arrest her!!"

Grammy Bonnie said...

How fortunate you didn't have to do that "sit in the car" business in Minneapolis. Fifteen below tomorrow!

Jen said...

3:15?! I thought you said you were getting up at 4?

At least she is registered?

Also, what is UP with no mother's day out programs? They had them in Tucson, but none here in Vegas. We just about have to take out a monthly loan to afford 2 in preschool 3 half-days a week.

Unknown said...

You crack me up. I probably would have done the same. I used to get freaky about swimming lesson sign ups.

Elizabeth said...

Desperate times call for desperate measures!

Andrea_Ben said...

This is nuts.