It’s funny what can ruin your plans for the day. When I say funny, I mean odd, not hilarious. Take, for instance, yesterday. I had plans to spend some quality time with the kids at the park before making pancakes.
It didn’t happen. After the evening school run, I found myself stuck in a traffic jam. The same had happened earlier in the day following the morning school run, thanks to irritating roadworks. I spent more than an hour stuck in traffic yesterday. All that time wiped out simply because I was sat behind the wheel of a car.
The impact of those traffic jams was quite significant. You see I’d just discovered a new play park near home. The kids were keen to go there. My plan had been to visit the park with the kids and then go home and have a relaxed time cooking them pancakes, what with it being Shrove Tuesday. It would then have been homework for the eldest, bath and bed for them both.
Instead we got home late and had to miss out the park altogether. Cooking pancakes was a rushed affair, not helped by the fact my eldest was adamant she wanted to hold a pancake-tossing competition.
Apparently two teachers at her school had held a competition and she wanted to replicate their efforts. I had to turn down this request on the basis she wasn’t strong enough to hold the heavy frying pan, not to mention the mess it would make. It took quite a while for her to accept this fact, but we eventually got there.
Homework was completed just before bed, but after bath time. I hate doing things this way round, the evening bath should be a calming affair in preparation for bed, not a precursor to further work.
This wasn’t what I wanted at all. I’ve promised the kids we can have pancakes at the weekend to make up for yesterday’s rushed affair (not exactly in keeping with the spirit of Shrove Tuesday, but we do have leftover ingredients so it makes sense).
Okay, okay, so last night wasn’t exactly a success. We all have bad days. I’m conscious, however, that we, as a family, have a lot going on in our lives right now.
Primarily, we have builders in our house completely re-arranging the layout of the downstairs of the property (you can also see my latest vlog here). This has had a massive impact on our lives and has kept me very busy for the last couple of weeks as we’ve been preparing for their arrival.
All this preparatory work has stopped me spending as much time with my kids as I’d have liked. When I have planned to spend time with the children and something as simple as a traffic jam ruins my plans, well, it gets to me.
Even so, there have been too many days like this recently. Days when I’ve wanted to do something special with the kids; take them to the park, take them to soft play, sit down and read them stories. Something always seems to crop up and stop me from doing so.
Things should be back to normal in a couple of weeks. I hope then I shall be in a position to give my daughters the attention they deserve. Perhaps in the meantime I should get a PA? Or a time machine.
Sam says
February 10, 2016 at 1:58 pmSo annoying when something unpredictable like really bad traffic ruins your plans. However I think just having the idea and the intention is great and these things will definitely keep. If that kind of thing happens to me I’m disappointed but I don’t bother trying to do any of it in a rush – complete rethink & redo on another day. Hope Saturday is more successful!
John Adams says
February 12, 2016 at 11:09 amYeah, doing things in a rush is a pain. I try to avoid it if I can. On this occasion we will replan and redo when we have more time.
Sarah Admissions of a Working Mother says
February 10, 2016 at 4:17 pmI get really frustrated when I get stuck in traffic after work in the week. I have about a two hour window with my son in the evenings from pick up to bedtime and it really gets to me when unnecessary things get in the way of that. Sometimes when we’ve been stuck in traffic together I just turn off and take him somewhere else instead of trying to get home. Often ends up as a hot chocolate and cake shop visit, so in the end its not really that bad after all 😉
John Adams says
February 12, 2016 at 11:08 amAh, yup, I’m not immune to throwing my hands in the air and saying “come on kids, let’s do something different.” In fact I clearly recall heading off to a nearby town on a really, bright, sunny day and hitting traffic almost as soon as I was out the drive way. I did a U-turn and went home!
Nigel higgins says
February 10, 2016 at 5:39 pmGreat post know what you mean I had plans yesterday afternoon and something kept getting in the way
John Adams says
February 12, 2016 at 11:07 amStory of my life Nigel! Half term is on the horizon. I wil spend lots of time with the kids then.
Kate Holmes says
February 11, 2016 at 8:15 amFrustrating for sure. However, isn’t time supposed to be a human invention anyway and you are getting creative with it by shifting Tuesday if that is what it takes. Also sometimes life forces us to stop and who know that things going through your mind in that car won’t lead to great memories in time. Plus you sound like one of the better dads to me anyway so be happy.
John Adams says
February 12, 2016 at 11:06 amThank you for the comment Kate. I don’t feel like such a good dad when I have to let the kids down because we’ve run out of time because of a traffic jam or similar. Anyway, you are right, time is a human invention. I guess I must look at it like that.
Kim (sisterkin) says
February 12, 2016 at 8:09 amI know how you feel. I plan a perfect day and then life/weather/traffic/toddler tantrums get in the way. Good luck with finding more time. #coolmumsclub
John Adams says
February 12, 2016 at 11:03 amTimes, time, time, time! Never enough of it, hey? Thanks for commenting.
MMT says
February 14, 2016 at 11:15 amReading this struck many chords! I find that even though I’m at home and have ‘all the time in the world’ I’m constantly tied to some kind of schedule / time window to start cooking the next meal..do something that needs to be done. It is what causes the majority of my bad days! On the contrary, the days I stop trying to do ‘everything’ and sit down and give play time my undivided attention – they seem to be the best of the bunch.
If only that could be the case all the time?! I’d be needing a PA & live in chef too John! I guess I have to be thankful I don’t have work thrown into the mix right now…
Off to read your kitchen Blog…
Thanks for linking to #coolmumclub
swapna says
February 15, 2016 at 5:29 pmThis is interesting! Would love to see your posts in the Practical Mondays Link Up:)
John Adams says
February 16, 2016 at 8:40 amSend me the link and i’ll see what i can do! Thanks for stopping by.