“I have noticed that the people who are late, are often
so much jollier than the people who have to wait for them.”
- E.V.Lucas (English Writer, 1868-1938)
Lovelies, I'll be sure to report back to you, so stay tuned for further installments of Give a Hoot! If you feel you also need to address some of the poor habits in your own life, and would like to follow along with this theme, you can find the original explanatory post here, along with a button link to declare that you, too, are giving a hoot about the things in your too hard basket!so much jollier than the people who have to wait for them.”
- E.V.Lucas (English Writer, 1868-1938)
Tee hee, is anyone else laughing?? I think there are a few more darlings like me out there- fun, likeable, but terribly undisciplined in some areas of their lives! It's true, I have struggled with lateness for years ('scuse the airing of dirty laundry!). But, where once it was just me running to the school office for a late pass, now I have three adorable offspring doing exactly the same!
"Oh," you say, "That's no laughing matter!" And you're right, but it's not an easy thing to change! Over the past few months alone, I've tried schedules, bribes, early morning TV to get them up, no TV, 'cause it's too much of a distraction, porridge, scrambled eggs, cups of tea, promises of McDonalds brekkies (naughty mum!), loud music, getting grumpy, early morning cuddles, and delivering stern lectures in the car on the way to school! All this, and we're still arriving late almost every day, getting detentions and notes home from school.
(Despite this horrific divulgement, please don't leave me and run off to another blog where the author has her life more under control! I'm gonna get better... promise!!)
Isn't it weird how we tend to blame ourselves for our dysfunction, but then not actively try to fix it! Having had the problem for so long, part of me recoils at the idea of trying to address the issue yet again. But that's not what this blog is about, and that's not what this year is about! I don't want to remain the same as I have always been! I don't want to be a victim to the bondages I've always had! So it's time to tackle the problem head on, to go out with all guns blazing, and all the rest of the colloquialisms we can think of! (except the one about sticking your head in the sand!!)
Step 1: Today after school (and 2 detention notes- head hangs in shame...), I went straight to The Reject Shop and bought 3 alarm clocks. They're not just any alarm clocks, either- they're siren clocks with a rotating light like the ones you find on a police car- sure to make the slumbering sweeties jump out of their skins!
Step 2: I set them all to go off at different intervals: firstborn's at 6.30 a.m., followed by 6.31 and 6.32 for second and third-born respectively. This way (hopefully...) subsequent alarms going off in other bedrooms will keep all in a state of semi-alertness!
Step 3: I've set my own alarm for 6.15, so I will be up and ready to take advantage of their semi-alert states.
Step 4: Needing a bit more fire-power, I turn to the Bible for something to help me. Ooh, just what I'm looking for:
Wow, this really speaks to my issue, and yours too, if you struggle with a similar thing! It means that if I am lazy or have a resigned attitude about my problem, then all I will encounter will be obstacles and troubles. Indeed, if I look with that mindset, I may not really try to walk the path at all! But if I have a right mindset, and diligently work to be on time all the time, then it will become an easier road to travel!
Rightie-o, then (...you British chaps, how exactly do you spell that word??), it's time I started putting all this into practice.
Lord, you know how much I struggle with this lateness issue! Please help me to be diligent to get up when I need to, and be there to help my girls get organised. Help me to remember to turn to You when I'm struggling to do the right thing! Amen.
"Oh," you say, "That's no laughing matter!" And you're right, but it's not an easy thing to change! Over the past few months alone, I've tried schedules, bribes, early morning TV to get them up, no TV, 'cause it's too much of a distraction, porridge, scrambled eggs, cups of tea, promises of McDonalds brekkies (naughty mum!), loud music, getting grumpy, early morning cuddles, and delivering stern lectures in the car on the way to school! All this, and we're still arriving late almost every day, getting detentions and notes home from school.
(Despite this horrific divulgement, please don't leave me and run off to another blog where the author has her life more under control! I'm gonna get better... promise!!)
Isn't it weird how we tend to blame ourselves for our dysfunction, but then not actively try to fix it! Having had the problem for so long, part of me recoils at the idea of trying to address the issue yet again. But that's not what this blog is about, and that's not what this year is about! I don't want to remain the same as I have always been! I don't want to be a victim to the bondages I've always had! So it's time to tackle the problem head on, to go out with all guns blazing, and all the rest of the colloquialisms we can think of! (except the one about sticking your head in the sand!!)
Step 1: Today after school (and 2 detention notes- head hangs in shame...), I went straight to The Reject Shop and bought 3 alarm clocks. They're not just any alarm clocks, either- they're siren clocks with a rotating light like the ones you find on a police car- sure to make the slumbering sweeties jump out of their skins!
Step 2: I set them all to go off at different intervals: firstborn's at 6.30 a.m., followed by 6.31 and 6.32 for second and third-born respectively. This way (hopefully...) subsequent alarms going off in other bedrooms will keep all in a state of semi-alertness!
Step 3: I've set my own alarm for 6.15, so I will be up and ready to take advantage of their semi-alert states.
Step 4: Needing a bit more fire-power, I turn to the Bible for something to help me. Ooh, just what I'm looking for:
"The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the
path of the upright is a highway." (Proverbs 15:19)
path of the upright is a highway." (Proverbs 15:19)
Wow, this really speaks to my issue, and yours too, if you struggle with a similar thing! It means that if I am lazy or have a resigned attitude about my problem, then all I will encounter will be obstacles and troubles. Indeed, if I look with that mindset, I may not really try to walk the path at all! But if I have a right mindset, and diligently work to be on time all the time, then it will become an easier road to travel!Rightie-o, then (...you British chaps, how exactly do you spell that word??), it's time I started putting all this into practice.
Lord, you know how much I struggle with this lateness issue! Please help me to be diligent to get up when I need to, and be there to help my girls get organised. Help me to remember to turn to You when I'm struggling to do the right thing! Amen.
Until next time, lovelies, have a great week!Blessings,
3 comments:
Awesome post, enjoyed this dear one.
Breaking deeply ingrained bad habits and retraining ourselves is a hard, hard thing to do. Good for you, tackling it head on, developing a plan, and making a serious effort!!
I love step 1! I should get some of those too. :)
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