"Hey guys it's quarter past three. Do we want to get this meeting started on time?"
What I really mean is...
"Come on guys, let's get this meeting started, I've got to get home. The sooner we start the sooner we finish and when we are done then you can talk about the jobs you had when you were at university. You see I've got 3 beautiful kids. I come to work so they have a roof over their heads and food in their belly's. I don't work so they can have designer wear, my oldest is wearing second hand clothes. I don't get paid enough to take them on over seas holidays. I can't afford to put my children into child care. It costs as much as I get paid. My husband and I work full time so that we don't have to rent a house and have someone else telling us how long we can live there and whether or not the house is clean enough. We bought a house 40 mins drive away from work because we couldn't afford the $500,000 price tag to live within walking distance, like you. I don't get to see my children very much during the week. Often they are sleeping when I get home, and my mornings are busy spent getting myself and the other little people ready for the day so that when their dad comes home from his permanent night shift to look after the children all day he doesn't have to worry about dressing, breakfast, teeth and prayers. He just has to feed them lunch and keep them alive until I come home. If this meeting goes too long because you want to be social or you don't make your point fast enough. You are stealing my time with my family and I have so little of it to begin with. Can you live with that because I can't. So let's get this meeting started because I've got to get home."
"Hi welcome to the meeting I only want this meeting to be half an hour. Okay?"
"Great."
1 hour later
"Thank you everyone. We'll meet again in 7 weeks. Was this time slot suitable for you all?"
"Un-huh"
"Yeah"
"Great!"
3 comments:
i feel your pain dee! my kids are all but grown and can pretty much dress, feed and fend for themselves...but i still feel guilty about leaving them alone most of the day while i'm at work and they're out of school for the summer. i think that is why i am so looking forward to our beach trip - no distractions, no guilt.
the key is to try and squeeze the most enjoyment out of the times we do spend together. hold them tight, kiss them long, have ice cream for breakfast. this too shall pass...all too quickly.
love you, sharry
love you
I feel your pain. I use to be the social butterfly that would hang around for friday night drinks but that was definately pre kids - your priorities certainly change once you add little monsters into the equation.
All too soon they are grown and out socializing with their friends and this time will only be a memory, make the moments count so that the memories are long and lovely...........A/di
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