Don’t you love it when your kids get excited about something? I know I do! One thing my eight-year-old daughter is most tickled about is “Pajama Day” at school. At the end of the trimester, their 2nd grade teacher lets them wear PJs and bring a pillow, blanket and favorite toy to be comfy for the class reading marathon. This novelty of wearing sleepwear to school is oh-SO cool to her and her classmates.
Well, then there’s me. I have my own opinion about going to school in jammies.
I SWORE I’d never be “that” mom who would show up to drop off her kid looking like she just rolled out of bed. (Excuse me, I’m way more professional than that.) I have a reputation to uphold. I spent 14 years in television news and am now a well-known speaker and coach. I’ve been a personal assistant to high-ranking leadership in the Idaho Senate, plus I served two terms as “Mrs. Canyon County America.” I could never be seen looking frumpy, with no makeup on and hair all amess. Have some dignity, please!
The school year around here starts in mid-August, when it’s still really warm out, so it’s wonderful to get outside in the morning and walk my daughter to school. I happily get on my exercise gear, pull my hair into a bouncy ponytail, put on small hoop earrings, foundation, mascara, blush, and lip gloss and I’m out the door, holding hands with my little girl. It’s an energizing way to start the day.
We only live two-tenths of a mile from the school playground, so it’s an easy walk. I see other moms escorting their kids, some pushing strollers, obviously very tired and didn’t bother with freshening their face.
Of course, I remember when my (now 2nd grade) daughter was born and I’d push her in the stroller when walking her big sister to school – so you should know, there is NO judgement here! (I at least put on nice sweats, wore sunglasses and pulled my hair back nicely.)
Fast-forward from those baby days; now my older daughter is in 8th grade and I drive her two miles to school. We need to leave the house at the crazy hour of 7:10am, so the middle schooler starts doing her hair (and “accidentally” wakes me up) at 5:30am. (Yes, it takes that long!)
As we move deeper into autumn, it gets chillier in the mornings, and the sun comes up later and later, so quite often we are driving in the dark. And as we move deeper into the school year, it gets harder to wake up in the mornings, and the eyes open slower and slower, so quite often we are driving half-asleep… and I’m in my pajamas.
UGH! How did I let this happen?!
Well, let’s see. I run a full-time coaching business out of my home, I clean house and prepare meals for our family, take care of two dogs, (and frequently the cats across the street when our neighbors go out of town). I also to spend some time with my husband as well as for me to be “me.” Then there’s volleyball practice and games for the eighth grader after school, stuff with extended family on weekends, social media, friends, yard work… I don’t need to list it all – you know what I’m talking about.
Suddenly, instead of dressing, that extra 10-15 minutes sleeping is so valuable – and that “pajama promise” I made to myself in my idealistic younger mothering days has flown out the window.
Seriously? Who am I kidding? Who cares? If I happen to get a shower before we leave, at least I take the towel off my head while I’m driving.
SO, when you see me looking frumpy, without makeup on and hair all amess, don’t laugh. Have some compassion, please!
Oh, and by the way – I planned to include a picture of Pajama Day at school and what was the response I got? “Don’t take my picture, mom! I’m in my pajamas!”
DOH – of course.