Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Princess Chaos

So, we have custody of my stepdaughter while her mother "gets her life back on track." Which, as I've said before, implies that it ever was on track. In fact? I don't think her mother even knows there is a track & that she should be on it, much less where said track is & how to get back on it.

But I digress.

Princess comes with chaos.

I like plans. I like sticking to said plans. Plans give me a feeling of control. I like control. I don't like deviating from the plan.

Chaos? Was not in the plan.

This particular strain of chaos began her 1st week of school. A mere 4 weeks ago.

When kindergartners start school in our district, they are on a "staggered start." Which means 1/3 of the class goes on Monday, the next 1/3 goes Tuesday, the final 1/3 on Friday. Princess? Was to start Tuesday. This means we had to come up with alternative care arrangements for Monday & Wednesday.

Might I mention that I think this staggered start thing is DUMB? I understand, more individualized attention, blah blah blah. Personally? I think it's giving kids false expectations of what to expect from school. But I am not an educator. I'm curmudgeony & reflective of my 1st day of kindergarten, where I just got dumped at the door & was expected to suck it up.

After walking uphill both ways. In the 200 degree desert. With no shoes. And broken glass lining the sidewalk.

I digress.

So, we scrambled to find alternative care. It was expensive, but we found some.

Thursday? The school lost her. They sent her to after-care when Hub was supposed to pick her up. He discovered this after waiting for an hour to get her. Then got to go wait at after-care until the bus arrived...another 1/2 hour later.

Did I mention he was supposed to be working?

The following Monday (beginning of week 2), Princess managed to face plant onto something concrete. Hub got the call that she might need stitches. He immediately left to retrieve Princess. Only to discover that I had the insurance card & HSA credit card.

Did I mention that we both work 30 miles in opposite directions from our house?

*sigh*

So then I left to take him the cards.

She somehow managed to miss the outside of her face altogether. When her face hit whatever? She hit it gums first. Big, ugly gash over her incisors.

Urgent care? Could do nothing. She had to rinse her mouth & we had to watch for gray tooth death. Dentist said the same thing. Oh, & she can only eat soft foods.

Cutting up her sandwiches into teeny tiny bite-sized pieces? Not the joy of my life.

Did I mention Wednesday was school picture day?

We tried to get her to smile with her mouth closed. She didn't really get it.

Wednesday at after-care, she wasn't paying attention & didn't notice the boy in front of her stop. She kept going. And hit the back of his head. Face first. Reopening the mouth wound.

Thursday? I told her not to hit her face on anything. She didn't. Yay!

Friday? She hit her mouth on a clothes pin at school.

?!?

She left for her mother's that evening & returned with a nasty cough.

So Hub took her to the Dr. on Thursday (Week 3) & got a new drug regimen (allergy drugs & an inhaler) to get rid of the cough.

Yesterday (beginning of week 4)? They lost her again. Somehow, between when she was released from her class to the class where she was supposed to wait? She decided she didn't want to wait in that class. And thus, missed her bus.

*Sigh*

Did I mention that I don't like chaos?

I pray that not everything with her will be this ridiculous. None of this? Even covers the chaos at home.

*Sigh*

4 comments:

  1. So I'm laughing my ass off, realizing that I really shouldn't be laughing. But it's so damn funny. Poor kid. Not her fault her mother's off track. The chaos is always worse when it isn't your flesh & blood. I don't deal well with chaos either... but at least I birthed the chaos myself.

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  2. Staggered start is a thorn in my side. I don't think this starting school chaos is particular to your step-daughter, I think that's just how it goes. Getting a school routine organized is just about doing me in.
    That said- if the school lost my kid, you would hear me yelling from where you are. That is not cool. Not even once.

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  3. A clothes pin? That would totally happen to me. Once I have a wound I just keep irritating it.

    And staggered start does sound dumb. Fingers crossed for you.

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  4. I am feeling my stress level rise just READING this. Big hugs.

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