It has taken me a long time to figure out that when we walk in the door at 6:00 pm it is the start of the pre-show for a three hour dinner/homework/bath/bed experience produced by myself, every school night to varying audience reaction.
The kid in bed by 9 pm, (hair combed, teeth brushed, book read, dolls kissed and tucked in, bathroom visited at least twice) merits a standing ovation.
To some minds, 9pm is a late bedtime for a child but the ideal bedtimes are unrealistic. My Kid wants to eat dinner with her father. That seems reasonable, but she also wants to save some of her homework to do with him and she also likes to cook together as a family. The Husband likes that too. Sigh. If only we had more than a galley kitchen… The family cooking thing only goes smoothly if I’ve done my job as a prep cook.
My Kid can and will stay awake longer than her parents.
If I don’t keep stage managing the evening towards the final goal of bed (with homework done, half hour of reading done, bath done, dinner made (or take-out ordered…We are in New York) eaten and cleaned up after, and anything else that has to be done before bed–if I let down my guard even for a little while suddenly it’s 11:00 pm and nobody is in bed. Then The Husband will say something like: “OK people, I don’t know what you think needs to happen, but I have to get up early. As far as I’m concerned the day has ended.”
And so it is up to me.
I’m not complaining.
I’m just saying; it’s a show and putting on a show takes effort.
My Kid wants to take piano. I’m all for it but I dread adding half an hour of piano practice to the show.