This morning I was awoken by Allyson telling me she missed the bus so I jumped out of bed, threw some clothes on, and took her to school. I should start by saying that when my kids entered high school, I was done waking them up for school. After all in four short years they would either leave for college or have a job so they needed to learn how to be responsible for getting themselves up and ready. After all when I was in high school I was not only responsible for getting myself up but waking my mom up too because she left after me. Anytime the older two would complain I would just tell that story and also how I walked twelve miles to school every day. The second is a lie but the first is the truth.

Not too long ago Emily and I were talking about the time the girl she rode with car had a flat tire and I had to take them to school. Heather lived behind us and her last name was Troll (she’s married now and just had her first baby a cute little boy). Brian nicknames everyone that hangs out our house so she was always referred to as the Trollinator. I was never so mad in my life. I am pretty sure I yelled at them the entire way to school that day. However things were different back then.

I was working evenings so I never got to bed before one in the morning. So to be woken up at six thirty was a crime. I was mean every single time it happened, a lot of yelling cursing came along with it. Emily never really missed the bus or the carpool much but Kayla was an entirely different story. One year she was tardy to first hour so much that two more times and she would have failed the class. However, being the mean mother that I am, I still would not make sure she is awake. After all the ultimate goal is to get these freaks out of my house and living on their own.

I cannot remember exactly when I switched my hours to 11 am to 7 pm but I started going to bed much earlier. Seven years ago I started all this running stuff and would get up as early as six am to start long runs so I sort of turned into a morning person. Or at least to the point if I have to get up to take someone to school, it does not cause cursing and yelling. So this morning when Allyson woke me up I was so nice and I even offered to stop at the gas station to get her the cold Starbucks coffee. She was like I just opened a soda and then says, I’ll put it in the fridge and finish it when I get home. I have no idea where she gets popping a soda open the minute she gets up. Certainly her father and I have never done such a thing.

Driving home I realized it is so true about child number three. They get by with a lot more because you realize half the stuff you thought was important with the first one is not a big deal at all. Also you are tired of fighting and some things just aren’t worth the fight. So Emily and Kayla got screwed in that sense but just think of all the great cursing and yelling memories Allyson has missed out on.

Mole Moral ~ As Brian always says, “Never wake Big Red, you just never know how she’s going to act when she doesn’t get her beauty sleep!”