Trip Planning

I'm super excited to get away for a short trip without my family.   Packing and traveling solo is going to be so liberating.   Then I realized how much organization was needed to prepare my family for my absence.  Because you don't realize how much you do, until you need to write out a detailed, step-by-step instruction manual for someone else to follow.  Someone who might not even read and follow the manual.  This is a total pain in the ass.

Why am I going away again?

"Does dad even know how to cook?", one of my kids asked.  "I'm sure he'll be fine", I said.  Although  I can't remember the last time he cooked anything other than eggs.  But, there's always take out.  And those organic fruit snacks made out of real fruit that I bought to teach the kids about disappointment early.  Because I feel like it's my duty to adequately prepare them for life in that way.  So,  I made a kid friendly easy to make meal plan (which is the complete opposite of what I normally make for dinner) and bought all the ingredients and left all the recipes in plain sight.  

That's when I knew I screwed up big time.

Between buying the Valentine's day cards and treats for the kids, making sure I'd stocked up on my dog's special diet dog food from the vet, clearly marking the kids events on the calendar and stocking up on all life's essentials like toilet paper, I'd just made my job look too easy.  Way too easy, because I'd done all the unseen, thankless things that I already do every day.  Now, they get the fun part.  And my husband is already the "fun" one.

I totally sabotaged myself!

They're not going to appreciate me more when I get home.  They're going to think my job is easy. Fun even.  And my kids are going to continue to take me for granted.  I should probably hide all the toilet paper.  And mix some cayenne pepper in with the cinnamon or something.  Something must be done before this all goes horribly right.  Which would be so wrong!