ideal versus reality

I just read a very delightful Substack on making 5pm the start of your day, er, evening. It was lovely. A 4pm walk with wine. 5 pm prepping dinner with a drink and music (how much are we drinking friends?) Dinner at the table at 6. A fun activity at 7. A salon experience at 8:30 and bedtime around 9:30. Sign me up. 

However, my evening do not—and cannot through any action of my own—look anything like that. Instead, they go like this. 

2:25pm. Pick up a middle schooler-maybe. Only if it’s a game day (or Friday!) and then they need to practice cello and eat dinner in order to be back at school at 4. Otherwise, pick them up at 5. 

2:55. Meet child at bus. 

3:10. Get text that elementary school children are walking home. 

3:30. Pack music bag and get snacks. Or have extra children in the yard and everyone wants snacks. Or leave for the horse farm with your oldest while facetiming your parents. 

4. Drop kid back off at school. Remind the kids about music. Ask if anyone has homework. Remind oldest child that he cannot have more snacks; he’s done nothing but eat. 

5. Finish cooking dinner, usually with help, while someone is playin either the piano or violin or maybe both. 

5:30-6. Sit down and eat. At least some of you, maybe everyone. Have the boys clean off the table while one adult gets ready for going to the soccer game or a board meeting of some sort or a concert. 

7:25. Put oldest child to bed, a long process that involves many attempts to play instead of get ready for bed. 

8. Send the other kids to shower. (Except the middle schooler if it’s a game night.) Tell stories. Listen to stories. Watch a Bible Project video or read a Psalm. 

8:30. Leave their room. 

8:40. The middle schooler and one adult gets home from the game. 

8:45. Hear about the game while they eat a snack. 

9. Send middle schooler to shower.

9:25. Walk back out of their room.

9:45. A kid gets up because he had a bad dream. 

10. Take a shower. Give pets treats. Start the dishwasher

10:15. In bed and start reading

10:45. Go to sleep.

Obviously, this is tongue-in-cheek. I love my life. But after school is a whole nother job and not easily romanticized.