The Overscheduling of the American Childhood

Earlier this week one of the Gymboree Moms circulated an email asking the Gymboree gang if we wanted to get together at a local Chuck E. Cheese for a playdate.

I've never been to the Cheese, but I thought it was a nice idea so I emailed back saying we were pretty much free any day but Thursday.

Today, we all got a message from one of the other moms. It seems, her schedule is a bit more complicated than the rest of ours.

In the interest of privacy, all of the names have been changed. Crazy Mom's youngest shall be known as "Bingo" and her two older children shall be known, in honor of Dr. Seuss, as "Thing 1" and "Thing 2" After having come to our house for a play date, it's appropriate, trust me.

To: Gymboree Moms
From: Crazy Mom
Re: Get Together

Hi all,

We would love to get together. The schedule is complex . . . apologies before I
start:

Monday- this monday, and subsequent alternating mondays are not good. On the other weeks, I drop Thing 1 for playdate after gymnastics at 12:30 and pick up between 2:30-3, so Bingo & I are free 1-2:30.

Tuesday- 9-10:30 is free. 11am we have library class. Thing 1 at school 12:25-2:50, Bingo & I are free for playdate

Weds- Bingo & I go to 10:20 gymboree, free for lunch, playground, Chuck E Cheese or other until 2:50 Thing 1 pick up.

Thurs- 9-10:30 is free. Thing 1, Bingo & I go to 11:15 - 12 gymboree, then free until 3:35 Thing 2 pick-up

Fri- 9-12 is free. Drop Thing 1 at school 12:25. Bingo & I free until pick up Thing 1at 2:50. (FYI: Next week we're coming to Gymboree art to make up a missed sibling gym class, so we'll see you then.)

When you have to tell people that "subsequent alternating Monday's" aren't good you may be taking this a bit too seriously. I mean, come on. I'm currently negotiating documentation for a transaction valued at $200,000,000 and I can narrow things down to "Thursday's bad", do we really all need to see just how "booked-up" you are with five kinds of Gymboree, tumbling and "pre-school"? It's just Chuck E. Fricking Cheese, pick a time!