Not naming any names

There are days when I think I've got it almost all together.  Mornings when everyone gets willingly into the car, dressed and ready to go get their learn on.  Afternoons when they all come home, do homework and actually take their backpacks all the way to the hooks.  Evenings that are marked by the sweet sound of closed mouth chewing and pleasant dinner table conversation.  And, nights when they all lay down freshly washed and brushed, falling asleep swiftly and sweetly.

Well, maybe that's never all happened in the same twenty four hour period.

Ok, maybe I've never had two of those time periods in the same week.

Fine, maybe I've had one of those in the last month.... Even if I can't remember it right now.

More often, we are coming apart at the seams.

Someone, and I'm not naming any names, but someone might have been heaving a screaming six year old by a leg and an arm for a block and a half this morning.  It is possible that the unnamed person was seen hysterically laughing the whole time (to keep from crying, cussing, or yelling at the light of her life).  And, it is likely that this anonymous person would've given both kidneys if just one of the people who stopped to stare at the fiasco would've offered to help carry the backpack or water bottle or coat that were being thrown off in an attempt at escape.  Meanwhile, the child was screaming something about wanting to stay home with the suspect.  While, the suspect pleaded that it was not possible since she had to go to work.  To which, the child cried "I hate that!"  At which point, the nameless person may have just sat on the sidewalk and replied "yeah, me too."  

So, if you were a witness to the chaos of this person's morning.... if you were a bystander on the sidewalk of terror.....or an ogler from your nice cozy car, know these three things:

1.  She's a good kid.  She's got only one real parent and that parent is trying her best.  That parent tried every trick in the mothering handbook before she resorted to just scooping her up and forcing education upon her child this morning.  That parent was beyond grateful when the counselor appeared outside to help end everyone's misery.  And, that parent went home and cried for the mess she can't seem to get a hold of.

2.  Halloween should be moved to a non-school night.

3.  There should be an emergency line for liquor stores to open early on days like these....you know....for that person that definitely isn't me.