Since I had my third child I seem to find it almost impossible to get out of the door in a set timeframe. No matter how hard I try, or how organised I am in advance, I always seem to be rushing around and running late. It doesn’t seem to matter how far in advance of my decided departure time I begin the process of getting ready. It doesn’t seem to make any difference.
If I’m doing well and we are all washed, dressed, fed and organised before it’s time to leave; something unexpected always happens to prevent us going and to make us late. Even if by some miracle we arrive at the destination on time, we have been running behind schedule at some point in the proceedings.
Take today, for example. I had arranged to meet some friends from work for a catch-up lunch, as we are off on holiday just now. I knew it would be an operation to organise the kids and get myself ready before dropping them at my mum’s and getting to our arranged meeting point. I started early, with plenty of time to get everything done and have some spare time left in case anything happened. It turns out it was still not to be.
I tidied up toys, put the dishes from breakfast away and let the boys out into the garden, so that I could put W down for her morning nap and get myself showered and dressed. This actually worked quite well. I left the window open so that I could hear them and grabbed a quick shower. Afterwards I dressed quickly and straightened my hair before applying a little makeup (I can’t go out for a nice meal looking half-dead!) I then headed down to get the bags for my mum’s sorted and get the boys in to organise them for leaving before I lifted the baby.
This was when the first setback arose. J had found the hose, turned it on and filled the paddling pool. He had only knelt at the side and leaned in to swirl the water but was still somehow completely drenched from head to toe. I got him changed and ready to go and we were still, surprisingly not behind schedule. I lifted W from her cot as she was now awake, only to discover she was very smelly. A quick change and we were able to head off our to the car. Cutting it a little fine now but still just enough time for me to drop them off and get to lunch on time.
Obstacle number three came in the car. It was warm to begin with, so I had put all of the windows down. After a few minutes the breeze had cooled the car and the boys wanted the windows back up. When pressing the button the windows go up automatically. J decided it would be a good idea to pop his finger between the glass and the rubber seal at the bottom of the window as it was moving up. It got stuck and he was very upset. I had to put the window back down to free his fingers and pull over to check he hadn’t damaged his fingers and console him.
Once we finally got on our way again, a large lorry had overtaken us and was proceeding very slowly along the route. It then struggled round the roundabout and couldn’t get past parked cars, as there were cars on the other side of the road.
After what seemed like ages we finally arrived at my mum’s and I rushed inside with the kids. As usual, J didn’t want me to leave and I tried to reassure him I would return soon, as I always do. You would think I abandon him regularly and don’t return for him the way he reacts. Finally I ran back out to my car and was now running very late. I had around 5 minutes to make what is usually at least a 15-20 minute journey. The journey was,of course, slow and I even managed to make a wrong turn and need to double back – despite the fact that I have travelled this route many times before and could almost do it with my eyes closed!
I eventually arrived, around 20 minutes late and everyone was waiting. Luckily I have very understanding friends who did not show it if they were annoyed with me for being late again. I am thankful for that. It’s nice to have people who are patient and understand when I don’t turn up on time. Sorry everyone!
My lesson from today is that I really need to look at the longest time it takes to get ready, factor in a few extra nappy and clothing changes, allow for accidents & emergencies and make time to be stuck behind the slowest traffic known to man. Once I do this I need to also add on an extra 20-30 minutes and I will probably still run late 😩
I can only apologise in advance to everyone I’m going to meet in the future. If you want me to arrive on time, tell me you are meeting about half an hour earlier than you actually are! Thanks x
Does this happen to anyone else, or is it just me?
Oh my gosh, I know exactly what you are talking about! Why do I always make a wrong turn when I am running late?!? Today I was running late to pick my assignment position for the entire school year and I almost got skipped and got stuck with somewhere Very. Far. Away. But they made everyone rechoose. Thank God! With my second job, I wouldn’t have been able to cope otherwise!
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I am the opposite and am horribly early for everything – I hate it ! But I also get really tense if it seems I’m going to be late for something – can’t win ! #fortheloveofblog
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I wish I could be more like that. Early for something would be nothing short of a miracle!
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I am always either super late or ridiculously early, as I try to allow lots of time for getting held up!x #fortheloveofBLOG
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Can’t win 😂
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My 18 yr old son has special needs and he hates being late for anything. He gets up at 5 even though he doesn’t have to be at college until 9. And from the minute I am up he badgers me about being late. So, we are early for everything to prevent teenage meltdowns lol.
#fortheloveofBLOG
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I need to get more like you! It seems no matter how early I start something unexpected always happens!
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It’s not by choice. And I do not get up at 5am with him lol.
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With four children – 2, 3, 4 and 12 …. we are ALWAYS late! And when we aren’t late we are ridiculously early, like hours early, and only because I have worried so much about being late that we have gone completely the opposite and are sat in the car trying to pass the time! Kids are a great excuse for being late though, even when I’m late and it’s not the kids fault I always blame them, ha! #mg
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Haha me too, though I have to say it is mostly their fault! Thanks for reading.
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Ah bless you, we used to be early for everything. People used to joke about us always being there first! Two children in, we are never on time! Even if I really try we are always late, and covered in baby sick or pureed fruit!
#mg
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So glad it’s not just me (sorry!)
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This happens to us a lot! I try to plan 30 mins extra into our schedule and yet I still end up late!
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Oops forgot #KCACOLS
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I’m always late to! Can’t help it now days. I don’t think any of us can?! I treks to make a 20 min journey in 5 mins as The Baby drew all over the newly painted walls up stairs and The Kid decided tang being naked was more fun then being dressed. There times!! How we all still have our hair I don’t know!! #fortheloveofBLOG
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Haha, the things they do! They seem to save it for when we’re in a rush or going out 😂 Thanks for reading!
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I’ve come to realise that it takes me sooo much longer to leave the house than I think it will! I was really proud of myself for getting my son to school on time every day last year, a fair amount of the time we were even there early. But try and get to anywhere else, like playgroup, on time and it just doesn’t happen, haha! x #KCACOLS
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Yeah we get to school on time too but nowhere else it would seem! Thanks for reading!
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Oh man, don’t tell me this! We are starting to “try” for our third child and I had a hard enough time getting out of the house on time before having kids. This problem has obviously become 10x worse since having them! Lol!
#KCACOLS
Tori @ The Mama Nurse
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Haha, I love them but it’s hard to get out. Even getting from the house into the car takes so much longer than I think it will!
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Hey, You are no different. With Kids around, you cannot have control over the situations. I am the one who gets late for work almost everyday. Wish you luck.
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Thank you!
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20 minutes isn’t that bad. One time we ended up being so late for an event because of the baby! Getting ready now seems to take forever. If we need to be somewhere and taking bub with us we have to start preparing ourselves an hour and half in advance because of last minute spit-ups and unexpected naps #TwinklyTuesday
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I know, it’s a nightmare at times! Thanks for reading!
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Before I became a mum 6 months ago, early was my middle name! Now I just cnnot seem to get out the house on time. I’m always forgetting something nd time drains away!
#KCACOLS
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I know, it always takes longer than we allow (no matter how much time we allow!) Thanks for reading!
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I only have the one and I get so stressed about being late that I always end up stupidly early for everything! I’m sure there’s no way I’d manage to do that if I had more kids to worry about though (the hose is also a source of endless fascination for my son, and always, always, always involves a change of clothes…) #KCACOLS
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No matter how we turn it off or disconnect it, he always manages to put it on!
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I am always running late too, when Adam was a baby it seemed like overtime I went to put him in his car seat I would discover he was doing a poo! Then as he became a toddler it was a tantrum. All 3 of them are getting better at being ready, although sometimes it feels like I have told them 300 times to HURRY UP, and then I find its me who is not ready because I have had to help them do whatever it was they needed help with! AHHHHH, I agree I apologise in advance! Thanks for linking up, so glad to have you here #mg
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Thanks, I love taking part in this linky, so many interesting stories to read and love your posts. I’m usually always not ready either after doing all of their things! Kids, eh!
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I only have two kids and I can never get anywhere on time! I should have learned to factor in that extra thirty minutes by now but nope!! Thanks for joining us on #fortheloveofBLOG x
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Oh it’s just not easy is it! No matter how prepared you think you were! #KCACOLS
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I too made a wrong turn on a journey I’ve made a million times before…. as I was rushing to a dinner I was late for! Typical eh! #KCACOLS
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This would definitely be me. I was always 15 minutes later out the door for work than I intended to be. But now that I’ve quit I don’t actually have anyone to meet or anywhere to go for a specific time and so though it takes just as long to get out of the house I am not technically late to anywhere! I am glad your friends are understanding. Life with kids is hard!
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It sure is. Thanks for reading.
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PS KCACOLS
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It is definitely not just you! I can’t remember the last time I was on time. Cygnet has a canny knack of pooing just as we are leaving the flat, or I realise I have forgotten something, or Cygnet has a little tantrum because he wants to wear his crocs rather than his shoes, and then another one because he actually wants to wear his shoes after all. I have given up. Pen x #KCACOLS
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Ha, all sounds familiar. Thanks for reading.
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I feel the exact same way! It is just a nightmare! My times are always completely wrong and ended up arriving always late! I reallg hate it but eventhoug I do my best efforts to get on time there is always something that delays me grr Thanks so much for sharing this at #KCACOLS, 🙂 x
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I know, nightmare!
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I’m like this with one – what the heck am I going to be like with two?! Makes me feel better though, I am always in a mad rush! Thanks for linking up with #TwinklyTuesday
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I really struggled with this when I first become a mom. Now it depends on the time of day. If I have to be somewhere before 3, I’ll probably be late. After 3, I might be on time. #bigpinklink
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Haha, I think I would probably still be late even after 3. Thanks for reading.
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Me!!!! Always late! Always! No matter how long I leave. It’s getting a little better now there are no nappies involved but toilet trips and definitely definitely the getting soaked in the garden thing. How?! Thanks for linking with us. #bigpinklink
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Haha, kids eh?!
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