BACK TO SCHOOL RULES

“Okay, everyone! Listen up!” I was in the kitchen facing away from my son Alex and husband Steven. “I’m headed back to school tomorrow so there’s going to be some rules that are going to be put back into place.” I was cleaning out my work bag. “I wished I’d done this when school ended in June.” I grumbled to myself as I threw some papers into the trash that I no longer needed and turned around.

Alex and Steven were looking at one another. “Which rules are you talking about?” Alex asked.

“Well, first of all if you hear me in the kitchen in the morning I’m not making everyone’s breakfast. That ship has sailed.” Now that I’d taken everything out of my bag I turned it upside down to shake it over the garbage pail. “What you’ll be hearing is me making my tea and maybe a piece of toast.” I looked over at them. “You guys are going to have to make your own breakfast.”

Alex shrugged his shoulders. “I usually make my own breakfast before you get up anyway. The breakfast you make us is actually my second breakfast.”

Steven shook his head. “I don’t eat breakfast.” He smiled at me. “Except when you make it for us, of course.”

“Okay, so that’s not going to be a problem.” I put my bag on the counter-top. “Next one. No one uses the washer and dryer on the weekend. That’s when I catch up with all the laundry and I can’t have you two messing that up.”

Alex looked over at Steven. “That’s not a problem for me.”

Steven shook his head again. “No problem.”

I nodded my head. “Okay, this is going well.” I took a pad out of the drawer along with a pen. “Grocery shopping is only happening on the weekends again. No more running to the store because we forgot to put something on the list.”

Steven looked confused. “If it’s that important I’ll just run to the store myself.”

“Good plan!” I looked over at Alex.

Alex pointed his thumb towards Steven. “What he said.”

“I’m liking the team spirit here!” I leaned back against the counter. “I finish my cup of tea and I’m ready to get in the shower every morning at exactly seven A.M.” I looked over at Steven who held up his hands.

“I know. We’ve been doing this for years. I don’t understand why you’re telling us this?” He asked.

“Because we’ve all become lax these past few months and I don’t want to start the school year off on the wrong foot.” I could feel the panic welling up inside me.

“We’ve got you covered.” Steven came over and gave me a hug. “You don’t need to stress.”

“Yeah.” Alex said. “You’re getting yourself all worked up for no reason.”

I took a deep breath. “Maybe you’re right. The first few weeks of school can be so stressful. I guess I’m just over-reacting.”

“It’s going to be fine.” Alex patted me on the shoulder.

“You guys are right.” I took another deep breath. “I’m stressing myself out for no reason.” I grabbed my work bag off the counter and looked at both of them. “You guys are great.”

Steven smiled again. “So what’s for dinner?” He asked.

“I’ve been so busy getting myself ready for tomorrow I didn’t have time to cook anything.” I headed for our bedroom to pick out my outfit for the next day. “We’re going to order out.” I called over my shoulder.

“Pretty sure we’ll be hearing that one a lot for the next ten months.” I heard Steven say to Alex.

“What?” I asked, pretending I hadn’t heard him.

“Nothing!” He called back. “Just getting the take-out menus from the drawer.”