I'm in a slump lately. I'm not sure what it is. Maybe it's just that March is my least favorite month of the year. Maybe it's that the weather has reverted back to January, with raw cold and weekly snowstorms. Maybe it's that I've hit that point in our school year where I feel like we've somehow gotten hopelessly behind and will never catch up again.
I've been in slumps before. I know I'll get out of it. I have a few strategies cooking, and as soon as I get the energy to implement them, I'll have a foot up to get out.
Because the big thing that's killing me now is my memory. I have always had a ridiculously good memory, but it has been letting me down more and more lately. I know, I'm getting to 40. I won't have my crazy "look at it once and remember it always" memory forever. But I'm starting to drop the ball, and that needs to stop.
Like the other week. I dropped Madison off at dance, and instead of killing time at that end of town, I decided to bring Reagan home and try to get some cleaning done. I knew I had limited time, so I was watching the clock like crazy.
All of a sudden, I looked at the clock and panicked! We were going to be late! It was 7:00, dance ended at 7:15, and it was a good 20 minute drive. Why weren't we in the car yet?? I hustled Reagan out of the house, yelling about shoes and coats and panicking that Madison was going to end up worrying and waiting.
About halfway there I realized that dance doesn't end at 7:15. In fact, NO activity that my children do has ever ended at 7:15. Not this year, not last year, not dance, not gymnastics, not cooking, not either child. Ever. Dance ended at 7:30, and has all year long. Why 7:15 popped into my brain...I have no idea. But we did make there for 7:15, and then killed a good twenty minutes waiting for Madison, who takes her time getting her shoes changed.
OK, so that's one brain fart. Then, I had another one. Madison was invited to a birthday party. First, I wasn't sure if it was Saturday or Sunday. Reagan had been invited to a party too and I was unclear as to whether or not there was a conflict. Finally, figured all that out. Then, I was confused about the time. I couldn't remember if it was 3:00 or 3:30. I checked the invite. 3:00. I put that time in my planner and in my phone. I wasn't sure about the location. Checked the invite, put the address in my maps, noted the time again.
Then, my brain decided to override all these notes I'd written. I was suddenly 100% confident that the party was at 3:30. We left the house and arrived at 3:15 and I made Madison sit in the car. She begged to go in and check it out at 3:20. And...yeah, she was late and missed the first game of laser tag. She still had fun and was fine with it, but I was mourning the loss of my mind.
We very nearly missed an appointment I'd set up. I completely forgot that a guy was coming to measure the door and was still in my pjs when he showed up.
So what do I do now?
Well, for the time being, I stop trusting myself that I won't forget. As far as I'm concerned, I will forget, so I set up checks for myself. I write it down. I tell other people. Madison is exceptionally good at remembering this stuff, and Reagan, when she chooses to, also has an elephant memory. I trust the two of them to help. I set alarms that I can't ignore because "oh, yeah, I know that's coming".
There might be shame in forgetfulness, but there's not shame in using every tool at your disposal to help you remember!
