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Health & Fitness

The Most Wonderful Time of The Year

I'm brand new to "back-to-school" but already I can't wait!

Arguably, I probably can't use the phrase "back" to school since this is the first year I'm sending a kid to public school.  However, the first time I saw this commercial for Staples I was totally feeling it.  As my 5 year old's first day of kindergarten approaches I find myself playing this commercial over and over on YouTube.  I will finally get my quiet-time back while the twins go down for nap so I can do all those glamorous things like do laundry in the basement, clean up the kitchen, prepare meals, clean up from the twins eating lunch, water the garden, write things on the grocery list between chores, and maybe, just maybe, write for my blog without interruptions between every sentence.

It's strange, the dynamic between the girls is completely different from when they are all together as when there are only two of them.  It makes no difference which two - as soon as the third one enters the picture chaos ensues.  Within 10 minutes of the trio joining forces, someone is screaming and crying.  But any combo of only two of them and peace often reigns for up to an hour at a time. There does not seem to be any common factors - it's not two ganging up on the third or anything - it's just, maybe too much competition?

I've noticed over the past few weeks that the 5 year old is throwing a LOT of 3-year old type tantrums.  High-pitched whining about everything, overly dramatic claims about *never* getting to do what she wants/play with what she wants, etc., and a LOT of foot-stomping and door-slamming.  Come to think of it, this just might be foreshadowing for those teen-angst years - I'll let you know in 8 years.

I have come to the conclusion (okay, theory pulled from thin air) that since we pulled the girls out of preschool/daycare at the end of June that our dear 5 year old has not had the chance to play with her peers daily like she has for the previous 18 months.  She is having to follow a different set of rules, play with two sisters far too young to play the way she wants to, and she is having to be quiet from noon to 2pm on a daily basis.  I try to fill her time with arts & crafts, new books, admittedly some TV, and mommy & me things - but I still need time while the twins are not climbing on me to get meals prepared, laundry done, and all that other "boring mommy work" that she sees me do on a daily basis.

So while the rest of my friends on Facebook are lamenting the tears they shed as they saw their new kindergartener off on the bus for the first time, I am crossing off the days on the calendar and can not wait for September 4th to be upon us!  My girl needs her friends, and I need a little TV time myself!

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