Occasionally my husband and I go on short trips and we are lucky to have family to watch our girls. I have help with the girls as needed during the week as well. This is wonderful to have but the amount of preparation that goes into laying out the logistics before I go anywhere overnight is stressful. If it’s just a few hours it’s not as cumbersome, however, I still need to make sure to account for what they need in those few hours.
I need to make sure to write down schedules with locations for pick-up and drop-off. As well as notes for who will pick them up and drop them off. I need to write down what to make for lunch – even for my husband. Those are the basics of the day.
Then I write down what they need to wear for the day, sunscreen and bug spray, which toothbrush is whose, what toothpaste to use, when to give them a bath, and who needs a diaper/pull-up for bed. Let’s not forget the bedtime routine. Luckily they only need one story before bed!
I also need to leave letters for our family to be able to receive medical info for the girls. That also means leaving the pediatrician’s number and location. Then there is the veterinarian’s number and location, and our travel info and itinerary. I also include information about what day is trash day, who to call if someone needs to plow, the plumber, and the electrician.
When you document every little thing that goes into taking care of kids, pets, and the home it sure is a lot. I hope we can all see the amount of work and thought that goes into everyday logistics. Whether you are staying at home with your kids or not, there is still a lot to plan for.
I see it, I understand it, and please know that if I see your child at an activity, I appreciate how much effort it took to get them there.
