Friday,
Work bag tossed to the side
Backpacks and lunchboxes put away
To-do lists forgotten
No more activities-drop-offs or pick-ups
Timelines, temporarily suspended
We exhale.
Saturday and Sunday
Meal planning,
laundry folding
Lunches and dinners prepped
Calendars checked
Arrangements made
Backpacks packed
We inhale
As we get ready to…
Begin again

Yes, the exhale, and yes, the inhale. This time of year feels like the breaths are deeper and longer.
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Well chosen events and words that capture the busyness of life with young kids. I’m
Glad you remembered to breathe!
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The weekend ritual. I always wish there was a bit more calm in the middle.
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Thank goodness for weekends, right? And some districts are testing the waters to a 3 day weekend…that would leave the third day for play. 🙂
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That would be amazing!
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Definitely not enough time to let our to-do lists go before we have to begin planning again. Your poem does a nice job having the 2 contrasting sides of a weekend
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The routine of the weekend was nicely captured. Hopeful all the prep makes for a smoother week. I’m off to make lunches now!
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Remembering to breathe is a good thing. Relaxing would be nice, but I guess that will have to wait until April break. I liked the pace of the poem, like a breath and like a to-do list. I was hoping for a happier ending, though.
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Jessica, I like the breathing in and out of this post. The short lines really help to move us through your weekend.
“Timelines, temporarily suspended / We exhale.”
But then the preparation begins soon after. The weekend break has some needed prepping so you can survive the next busy week–the life of a busy family. Have a great rest of your weekend, and a successful week ahead.
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The time between the exhale and inhale happens way to fast! But you nail the feelings perfectly.
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We exhale / we inhale : these are the absolute perfect bookends to this poem! Brilliant.
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“Timelines, temporarily suspended” – yes. Exhale. What a wonderful way to capture the feeling of the weekend when kids are young. Inhale.
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