End Of Day

Picking Sarah up from daycare has become an extended event. This is a quick breakdown of how it goes:

5:00 - Walk into play yard.
5:00 and 1 second - Sarah squeals with excitement to see me.
5:00 and 2 seconds - Sarah runs away to play; (Mom who?)
5:15 - Manage to gather armfuls of soiled clothes and wet shoes for that night's laundry.
5:25 - Corner the kid and lure her out of the daycare center with the promise of a walk.
5:30 - Go for a walk around the church by the daycare. Sarah explores every outer niche of the church while managing to stay a minimum of 500 yards away from my car.
5:31 - Spots her classmates who've also tricked their moms into taking a walk.
5:31 and 1 second - Runs to her friends and embraces them as if they've been cruelly separated for years.
The next 30 minutes - Kids chase each other with sticks, scream in the church door ways and attempt to pluck all live vegetation from the church flower beds.
6:00 - Moms start getting antsy.
6:00 and a very long time - Bribery and trickery fail to lure the kids to their parent's cars. Moms eye each other, give silent nods, whisper prayers and go in for the kids.
Can't check the time - Kid's arms are flailing. The screaming is deafening. Moms have kids in half nelsons. Some hair is lost - the mother's not the kid's. Puddles of tears form - a mix of mother's and kid's.
Still don't know the time; Kid has eaten my watch - What I once thought were useless yoga moves finally pay off - the car seat restraints click. The kid is contained.
Near dark o'clock - We drive off; avoiding whimpering mother's and scattering children.

Oh, the kids have a blast and it's nice to chat with the other moms, but the drama of ending the day is overwhelming. I'm not sure how the kids got us all into this situation, but this extended pick up must be contained. The wrestling is wreaking havoc on my back. Plus, Sarah's counter moves are strengthening.