After School

With 2 boys in school, my days run pretty smoothly...until 3:00! I feel like I pay for my enjoyable, productive day with madness and mayhem from 3:00 onward. My calm, quiet house is invaded with ravenous boys who can't get their hands on a snack fast enough. My 4 year old expects instant playmates, and instead finds out his brothers want nothing to do with him. Trying to explain their need to "decompress" for a bit after school is next to impossible. Aaron just doesn't get it. There is whining, hurt feelings, dirty looks, cross words...the list goes on and on. Recently I implemented a new rule to try and help restore order in some small fashion. Backpacks must be emptied by schoolboys, not by me, and they must be emptied right away. I got tired of fishing for lunch boxes (with leftover food in them) homework folders, and planners myself. I'm not the one in school for pete's sake! So far this rule is being followed. I'd say it's been about a month. But now while everyone's duking it out for snacks after school, I'm drowning in papers and old lunches dumped on the counter, along with my wronged 4 year old whining at my side. It's enough to make this mommy insane. With wrappers and crumbs left behind on the table and floor, Braylen and Kaleb grab their Nintendo DS players and zone out on the couch for a while. I let them, but I make them allow Aaron to sit with them and watch. I wearily clean up the kitchen, wade through their papers, and count down the minutes until my husband comes home from work. The timer dings to signal the end of Nintendo time, and if they are still crabby and mean, I go to my room. :)