This is how I do it…

A what’s app message landed at 9.05am. It was from my friend Eleanor. It read;

I only have to get one to school on time, in uniform, homework done, packed lunch and PE kit in hand, and I know we are supposed to walk but most mornings it’s the car for us…. and all this nearly kills me. But three? I don’t know how you do it.x

This was my response;

My dear Eleanor, this is how I do it: I often put the girls to bed in their school shirts and socks, so the next day is just knickers and skirt/trousers. If I don’t do this, they put on whatever they chose – they think this is hilarious and will get them out of going to school at all. Last week I called their bluff and took them to school dressed as a unicorn, Princess Aurora and naked except for a coat put on back to front. To be fair, I had my PJs on under my coat – and their uniforms in my bag. On the plus side, we were all wearing clean knickers – how that happened, I don’t know. They had to change into uniform in the playground. I brush their hair while they are sleeping, sometimes I even manage to put it in a pony tail. Breakfast is either dry cereal, toast with thinly spread toppings or a banana and all drinks are in baby sip cups – this avoids stains & spillages. They share one toothbrush. They are all different shoe sizes, so I buy the largest size for everyone, same design, two pairs each, so we can mix and match. This tactic applies also to their PE kit, trainers, cardigans and coats. The littlest looks like a sack of potatoes most of the time! The hats and hair scarves you keep complimenting me for are not because I am cool/bohemian but because every day is a very bad hair day that I have not time to correct. The benefits of the walk to school are outweighed by sugary bribes I use to get them out the door and to the school gate. So far this term I have spent £22 buying school reading books that we have lost. As for packed lunch – not happening. My girls think all children (including yours, sorry) who have packed lunch have secret allergies they don’t want to talk about, and that’s why they are allowed packed lunch, but my three aren’t. When I get home at 9.05am it takes me about an hour to get the house into shape – not because I can’t go to work with the house a mess, but because I can’t move, the house is such a mess. So my dear Eleanor, this is how I do it (but I’m not really doing it all, am I?!) xx