’Tis the season to watch my list of holiday tasks grow longer than my 8-year-old’s letter to Santa. The holidays bring with it much joy, merriment, and busyness. My brain seems to be built for all this multitasking because I’m the one remembering our social obligations, holiday menus, and gift exchanges. But while I’m keeping track of all these things, some days the most difficult part is keeping track of my family.
I’ve noticed it’s not always the many tasks that makes holiday life disorganized, but the rushing around that knocks me off my game. It’s also what’s going to make my family late to your holiday party. No matter how many warnings are given or preparations are made, we can’t seem to get to your social event on time. I’ve analyzed the data and here are six reasons why we’ll never be on time to your get-together.
Bathroom breaks
As soon as I announce that it’s time go, instead of rushing to the front door to leave, my son (and husband) rush to the bathroom door to relieve themselves. It’s quite remarkable how they save up all their bathroom time until right before we have to go to that fancy-dress party.
My kid is never fully dressed
My son shouts “I’m ready to go!” from the hallway — totally oblivious to the fact that he’s not wearing shoes and socks. If we were off to the beach this would be doable, but with temperatures in the teens, this isn’t exactly an option. No matter how I help my kid, he’s missing a sock, his shoes, or even on occasion, his pants.
Transition time is hard
Moving from one activity to the next can be hard for my 8-year-old. Sometimes his “in the moment” brain isn’t ready to shift gears. If he’s focused on watching his “stories,” trying to take the TV remote away from him is like wrestling a wet fish bare-handed. Helping change his attitude (and his clothes) can make us way later getting out the door.
We left the present at home
Halfway to the party, I ask my husband where he stashed the gifts here in the car. “I thought you got them,” he says. This starts my glorious and amazingly detailed retelling of how I’d asked him to get the gifts so I could get our kid. But he didn’t hear any of that over my son and I “discussing” how it was time to let go of the TV remote — and put on his pants. Next stop, back home.
We forgot to buy your holiday present
A miscommunication with my husband (or my husband forgetting a task on his to-do list) has us all stopping to buy a quick gift on the way to the party. But staying focused in Target is virtually impossible, so not only are we there way longer than we should be, but we’ve also left with a million things we didn’t know we needed.
Wrangling my family is hard
It takes a lot of effort, energy, and car snacks to get my crew out the door and into the car. Trying to wrangle them is a lot like trying to wrangle toddlers in a ball pit. I never know where people are or if I’ll get them to leave without much fuss. But you never know — sometimes they do surprise you.
There’s so much magic inherent in this season, and I’d love to find a magical way to get my family organized so we can make it to your party on time. Running late adds a great deal of stress to my holiday list, so I’m always looking for new ways to cross that off. Next time we’re late, please know that I’ve tried everything to get us there — including telling my crew that I’ve installed a hot chocolate maker in the car.
Well, it was worth a try …
