Do you think they'll print this?

I had a very interesting morning with two of my grandkids last week. I just had to write it down! A friend of mine said, I HAD to submit it somewhere, so I sent it to our local paper.

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Do you think routines are important to children?.....

I leave for work at 7:30 every morning. Sometimes I have the grandkids, Brande (7) and Aden (5,) and I take them to school, but it’s been a while. At 7:24 this morning I got a call from Corrie. She said she was on the way to take the kids to school, but they were throwing a fit because they wanted Gramma to take them to school! I said, “Why??”
“I don’t uh-know!” Corrie said.
“Well, bring ‘em on by!” I said.

7:25 Corrie pulls up and the kids pile out.
“Why do you want ME to give you a ride to school, Brande?”
With a twinkle in her eye, and grinning up at me with a gap-toothed grin (she’s been hittin’ the Tooth Fairy’s till a LOT lately) simply said simply said, “Be_cause!_” I realized that was all the explanation I was going to get.
I said, “Well, Ok but we’re leaving in about four minutes!”

So, everybody kisses Mom good bye, and after all of that it’s about 7:27.
“What now?” I asked Brande.
“TV! Curious George!” she says. .... Ah. I see where this is headed, and I realized we were going to have to hurry to get TheWholeRoutine in.
So I hustled them into the house. As Aden came through the door I barked, “Aden! Be quiet!” And Aden said, “OK!” although he hadn’t said anything yet. But that’s part of The Routine you see.
Stage 1 done.

They turn on the TV. It’s 7:28.
Stage two of The Routine always goes something like this, between Aden and me, with Bossy Brande chiming in at the end, and this morning everyone is speaking very quickly….“Gramma can I have something to eat No you can’t have anything to eat Why not I’m hungry Because you’ll get breakfast at school pretty quick—Aden, you ALWAYS ask for something to eat and Gramma ALWAYS says “no!”
Stage 2 complete.

It’s 7:29. Gramma goes back on the deck for just a moment.
Kids come out. “Can we play in the back yard?”
“No you can’t play in the back yard.”
“Can we play in the front yard?”
“Yes…but you have to turn the TV off.”
“We did.”
Brande hops off the deck and heads for the Climbin’ Tree.
“Come on Bean! Let’s climb the tree!”
“Grammaww! Brande called me ‘Bean!’ ”
“Well, call her Banana!”
“Brande, you’re Banana!”
Stage 3 complete.

7:30, time to go. Brande says, “Can we take the black truck?”
“Well, I guess we HAVE to take the monster gas guzzler now, don’t we?” I said.
“Yes we do!” Brande said. And we do. Can’t complete stage 4 without it and its rear seat “entertainment system.”
Kids pile in, put on seat belts. Keep in mind it takes about 60 seconds to get to their school…..Brande fusses over the back seat for a second…. “Gramma! Can we watch a movie?”
“No, you cannot watch a movie.”
“Well, can we wear the head phones?”
“Sure.”
“How come OUR seats don’t heat up?”
“Because.”
“Gramma! Will you take us to McDonalds?”
“No, we can’t go to McDonalds.”
Stage 4 complete.

We pull up to the school and park right in front of the sign, where we always park: Here
Aden says, “That sign means you can’t pee here!”
“That’s right,” I said, “And I’m sorry but there are no water puddles for me to throw you out in this time.”
Brande says, “Awwww! Shucks!” Aden does the same, although, as always, I hear the question mark in his voice….as analytical and logical as he is (he took Santa to the mat once with his questions) he’s wondering WHY he always acts disappointed about not getting thrown in a water puddle.…??
Kids climb out, slam the door and go running down the side walk to the school doors, giggling all the way. Why are they ALWAYS giggling???
Mission accomplished. Whew!