List of things my kids needs to start school on Wednesday:

1.  Lunch bag (logo-free) and no waste containers – check
2.  A plant for their desk – one down, one to go (so half a check)
3.  A set of dishes and a mug, no plastic – check and check
4.  Complete set of extra weather appropriate clothes and a pair of indoor shoes – easy peasy, check-a-roo

And lastly

5.  A home-made bag, sewn from a pattern, that needs to have their name on it (no fabric markers or puffy paint allowed)

Oy.

I have my strengths. Of course I have my weaknesses too. I have come to accept these and roll with them. On most days, I am able to keep the good stuff going and consider the rest a work in progress. And nothing has ever brought these Alison pros and cons more to the surface than parenting.

When school starts next week, I am going come face to face with two of my greatest weaknesses – the organization of day-to-day life activities and crafts.

I am the parent who brings their children to school on PD days, never remembers their hats and lunches. One of the reasons we moved closer to school was because I was driving back daily to bring them something I’d forgotten. As I write this I am missing a new camera and a favorite pair of shoes. Statistically, you are as likely to know my wordpress password as I am. And now with three kids in school, I have three different schedules to manage.  I have tried every calendar, every irritating reminder on my phone.  I just don’t care, I am easily distracted and….look, a leaf…

And then we have the crafts.

So you know how I own a clothing company….I don’t do the sewing. I am not meticulous and I can barely use the sewing machine.

1.  Sit down and come up with the world’s greatest, most awesome school bag – check

2.  Make it – uhm…ya…can I outsource that?

When I made Jakob’s bag three years ago, it took me hours of learning to embroider online, the purchase of a book on embroidery and two weeks to take my plan and make it happen.

But i did it. And that is just the thing.  It doesn’t really matter what comes easily and what doesn’t, in the end all that matters is what we do.  Whether you are naturally patient, or if you have to count to ten in four languages to calm yourself – either way, the action is the same. Whether I am good at making stuff or not, sometimes things need to be made.

image by the brilliant www.joseecaza.com

So, if you don’t hear from me for a while, if you were thinking I’d be answering your email anytime soon, I am sorry I can’t. My baby boy needs a school bag.

And we all have our weaknesses. But letting this little one down, is not an option.

How do your strengths and weaknesses play out in your parenting? Do you find that you have to face them a lot more since having children?

And hey, can you hook a girl up with a school bag?