As we started to the car, for what felt like the fifteenth time, I asked one more time about shoes and socks for tonight’s band performance.

In true middle school manner my oldest stated he was just going to wear his tennis shoes, something explicitly explained as not to do in the band newsletter.

As he returned to get his dress boots, I asked my middle, also a middle schooler, if he took his meds and inhaler this morning. And yes, I filled your pill container and noticed it had not been touched this morning.

As he retreated to the house to take care of another daily task, my little, almost 9 year old, chimes in with his woes of life including likely missing out on some of the morning fun and games because we were ‘late’ in being only an hour and twenty minutes early for school. His timetable, which the entire world should follow, states that he should be there at the very start of morning LEAP, our before school program.

With all of us finally in the car, I turned into a lecturing and guilt-giving mom as I discussed real issues others his age are currently facing in our community and world. It is easy to have that conversation with him, but know I also fall into that trap of comparison woes and putting my wants as the most important for everyone else to follow or at least acknowledge.

We compromised with plans for tomorrow – for clothes to all be laid out and afterschool activity bags packed. We will get up a bit earlier tomorrow and hope that our greatest challenges of the day are those we face before we get out the door and will say extra prayers for those with so many more daily difficulties that ours.