This blog is about parenting as a team and my intent was to continue the next post on “your family brand”. However, as I started re-reading some of the earlier posts it would be easy to the picture of a perfect American family where everything runs smoothly, so I wanted to pause from the regularly scheduled blog post for a dose of reality. 

Parenting is hard! HARD!. This S%$t is HARD! SO…to help illustrate what a typical #teamjackson month looks like… let’s check out March, at least the first two weeks (going into March, we were much relieved because the older two kiddos are down to one sport.  BLESSINGS!).  

Monday – March 1st, woke up and had the boys at 2 different schools by 7.30 and logged on for teleworking. At 9 a.m I saw the email reminders for Great one’s orthodontist appointment scheduled for 10 a.m. (OH CRAP, mom panic moment, breathe).  Called my mom to see if she could grab kiddo from school, while I showered. Grandma to the rescue! (Downside to telework, showers optional, if you can’t remember when you last has a shower, it’s probably time, just saying). We arrived at the orthodontist at 10. While checking in, I received a notification that ‘the president’ received a less than stellar grade on a research paper both my husband and I reviewed and edited. (um nope..need to have a teacher chat, so sent an email requesting a call while waiting in the orthodontist office waiting room). Braces applied smoothly but the kiddo is growing an extra tooth that will need to be removed before we finish braces. (Okay, will handle this after insurance enrollment so we can up dental coverage…BREATHE, not a today problem). While checking out, the President’s teacher calls. Egads. Finally, get in the car and call the teacher back using hands-free while taking the kiddo back to school. The teacher agrees to regrade the assignment. (Success! BLESSING).

Get home to cook lunch and the burner on the stove won’t light and the burner is filled with a liquid? Grab a protein shake instead, text husband about burner, and get back to work. Husband says, remember last night when I said “nothing I can‘t clean up?, well, I spilled my tea all over the burner.” (Me .S%$# S%#& BREATH. BLESSING), google issue while double-teaming work and learn that if the spark ignitor is soaked, it may need to dry out (another deep breath). Get an email from husband that he has a last min ortho appt to see the Orthopedic doctor for his recent MRI (ankle tendon issue he has been being treated for since October, yep it is March).  Second text about an hour later… he is in a walking boot for 4 weeks. (We are an athletic family so this is a big blow for him). 20 min later I get a text requesting his car insurance card, a homeless man on a bike who is inebriated rides his bike into the side of his car. (BLESSING! 2 seconds sooner and the guy could have been run over).  Police on the way, husband and the homeless guy are safe. (BREATHE…PRAY…after all, we are all safe.) While I am quickly locating the on-line insurance card, the President (kiddo 2) brings home schedule registration paperwork for his Junior year school schedule, and due to COVID, they are not having parent counseling sessions this year. Please sign here! (Thanks, no thanks, covid or not this is gonna need a counselor meeting, add to list for Tuesday). Yes, I did manage to get in a full day’s work (BLESSINGS, telework).

Tuesday, I have a PT appt for a back strain, telework (the job I get paid for), Communicate with Kiddo 2 school counselors and schedule counselor session the President to discuss his schedule for the next 2 years on Wednesday, and Special K and I notice strange compulsive behavior with the youngest kiddo. Yes, I did manage to get in a full day’s work (BLESSINGS, telework).

Wednesday, almost miss kid 1 and my hair appt. (BLESSING) my hair artist is a true blessing and though we were 30 min late got us in and out in time for kiddo 1 to get to school on time, (BLESSING Surround your self with angels.) Kiddo 3 begins to have adverse reactions compulsive reactions to his ADD med that he has been on for several years that we noticed on Tuesday, and on Wednesday calls from his teachers confirm the need to swap meds, which will require a virtual doctor’s appointment with the kiddo’s doctor.   I have the meeting with the school counselors for kid 2 and I get all the info I can on the options kid 2 has for the next 2 years of high school. Take copious notes so we can walk kid 2 through options and educate him on the options available to him. (BLESSINGS! Forget burner on the stove is broken and turn it on, Stove burner works BLESSING!). Have a discussion with Kiddo 2 about the options for the next two years and he chooses his options and classes.

Thursday,  Besides a back-to-back meeting day, we (Special K and I) have a video chat with the doctor’s office, get a different med for the youngest (We have an amazing doctor BLESSING, and get an almost immediate notification that the script will be at the pharmacy.) Meanwhile, while still on a work telecom, getting ready to head to a track meet for the older two, I miss the call from the pharmacy. (No big, because they are telling me it’s ready right?) Getting ready for the track meeting means I am piling stuff for the meet into my massive mom bag. (I have no idea what is really in the bag, but if it rains I am good. If it is cold, I am good. Blazing hot, got that covered, Hungry, extra snacks, hydration. Yep, all good, Need to stay overnight, probably good there too – It’s the mom bag, kind of like Mary Poppin’s bag but cooler.)

Get a text from the pharmacy. (geesh! I know the script is ready, right?) Haven’t been to the bathroom all day, so I read the pharmacy text while I am using the bathroom cause, let’s face it, multitasking is a thing. The Pharmacy text says that the new med is out of stock but they are expecting more. (Of course, it is out of stock, why not…PRAY, there is a blessing here, somewhere. BREATHE!) So I call the pharmacy to see if I can get an idea of the timing for when the medicine will be back in stock. Praise God! The shipment arrived just wasn’t checked in yet when the robotext was sent. The angel of a pharmacist checked and she had enough in that order to fill, they were open till 9 and she would have it ready. (there is the BLESSING!) I finally, head out the door to the track meet with my mom bag, in time to see older kiddos race. I Arrive at the track meet and dual enrollment counselor from the college where kiddo 2 has been accepted to complete dual enrollment classes calls to discuss classes for the president. (BLESSINGS), since I met with the counselor and have talked with kid 2, we know the classes he would like to take and in what format. Finish watching kiddos 1 and 2 race and leave in time to and pick up kiddo 3’s script at 8:45. Yep, time to eat leftovers for all, and sleep before midnight. 

Things slow down for a night or two to allow us to get caught up from the crazy week, or at least close enough.

Sunday, We go to flip the air on and nothing. Yep, broken. Thank goodness for our home warranty company. At 10:30 at night, I can file a claim and schedule a service appointment for Tuesday. The result? our “fancy” blower on the 11-year-old air handler is kaput, but the AC repair company and warranty company knock this out in 48 hours later we have air. (Surround yourself with good people. At least the temps were pretty mild BLESSING! could have been mid-summer.)

The next week is another telecom packed week with a couple of big presentations to high levels of leadership for me, and much follow-up with kiddo 1s teachers for new ADD meds. Adjusting a new ADD med takes a lot of coordination with teachers to understand what they see vs what i see…, is the dosage right? Too much? Does the med work at all? So trading lots of emails with teachers. The week is also filled with following up with Kiddo 2’s college application for dual enrollment, and Kiddo 1 scholarship applications, and deadlines for graduation.

WHEW, We made it. It’s Saturday and we have a day to kind of relax. While my husband takes kiddo 1 to a college track meet for the college for which she aspires, the boys and I wash the jackson automobile star fleet. (We have a fleet of vehicles. We can end up driving any of the fleet so we operate from the concept that we all must take care of the fleet instead of just 1 car, and that fact that we are STAR TREK fans doesn’t hurt). Kiddo 2, Kiddo 3, and I are washing and detailing the cars, and I notice the tires on the car that the kids drive most are worn (okay, breathe new tires this week..will get it done.) Well, at least until I move the car after detailing and notice the cording showing on both front tires. (It’s Saturday at 3.30! CRAP! This has to be done today, repair shops are closed today. BLESSING! it is only 3:30.) I call our favorite automotive shop, they are open and have the right size tires in stock! Praise God! I get there safe and accomplish oil change too… (BLESSINGS again all are home safe). Great teaching moment with kids on proper tire maintenance is a bonus. Life lesson.

This was just a two-week period and all the while we were still juggling normal stuff like work, getting groceries, fixing dinner, kids activities, homework, running a household, bills…the “normal stuff.” So what’s my point? Life happens. We have to BREATHE, stay grounded and firm in our beliefs and faith, find the good (BLESSINGS!), and allow ourselves as parents to say “this $^%# is hard”. As a team, we (#teamjackson) will get there. We start with our plan and deviate from that plan. It won’t be perfect but we will figure it out. One day we will look back and have such fond memories of the crazy. Well, that and the super cool mom bag.

We survived, we are all healthy and safe and we are a team, during these two weeks, just like every other week, we lean on each other as a team and team members. So many blessings occurred within what could be considered some really frustrating days and weeks. Remember, we choose how we react, we choose to be an example. Our kids are always watching if they see us react and give up, so will they. If they see us face adversity and meet it head-on with positivity, so will they. If we can do this. So can you! We will try again tomorrow