Life in the Fast Lane

When I was in fifth grade I wanted to take gymnastic like my friend, but our family had just recently moved into a bigger house the year before. I remember making the decision that when I grew up I would live in a small house so that my kids could take all the lessons they wanted. My family had 6 kids and I was already taking violin lessons. My mom would spend hours in the car chauffeuring kids everywhere as she dropped us off at different music, dance and singing lessons. I am sure I never realized her sacrifice at the time; I only remembered that I couldn’t do everything that I wanted.

Now I am a mom of 5 kids, we live in a comfortable house, and lessons are not a free for all. I don’t know how my mom did it, but I hate driving and I don’t know how I will survive when my kids get older and the schedule gets more demanding. So far I have let my children choose what they want to do. Samantha has tried a lot of things, but only one at a time. I am all about convenience and I have tried hard to keep things coordinated or at least on the same night. The YMCA was great for our family because it offered such a variety of sports and I would drop kids off for dance/soccer/swim lessons all in the same time frame.

This last spring, I talked Jacob out of playing soccer and put him in gymnastics. Samantha wanted gymnastics, the twins needed gymnastics (we are working on coordination), and Jacob was left in the middle. Soccer didn’t fit. He was a good sport, and when he liked it, I told myself to stop feeling guilty about my victory with the schedule. Having all four kids at the gym every Tuesday at 4:15 was a dream, but it was a short lived. (The week before Easter we withdrew and started the crazy stuff again. We have had visitors, I have been off visiting, and we still have a family vacation coming, and babysitting cousins lined up. Looks like the month of May will go by in a blink.)

The nice once-a-week gymnastics class has been replaced with swim team. We have 3 (I am so lucky I have twins or it would be 4) different practice times every weekday and Saturday meets. The twins just figured out the swimming thing so I am not sure if we are ready to commit-or if they will be kicked out. I have an all or nothing mentality, so Samantha is really cheering them on because she loves it and doesn’t want to quit. Today she swam a lap without stopping. We are all beginners at this, but she had to stop multiple times last week when she first started. Jacob has noticed that he is always the last in his lane, even if he starts first. I tried to point out that with practices everyday he is going to get a lot faster. However he was just as quick to point out that everyone is practicing, so he will still be last.

I just keep telling myself I can do anything for 2 months even though it is affecting our entire family. I didn’t choose the team for its reputation; I chose it for its location; nice and close. I know in the future I will probably end up like my mom, driving all over sending kids off everywhere. As a teenager I didn’t mind driving around with my mom, she was my best friend and I attribute that to our time in the car chatting. I know it can be a good time to be with kids, but there needs to be a balance and I don’t want to over due it. I want them to succeed and enjoy themselves and I know that everyone can’t do everything. I am sure someone will have a moment like I did and be disappointed when I say “No,” but for now I will enjoy everyone happy to be doing the same thing.