This is such a big (and changing) topic that I am breaking it into entries. In general it's going ok. I'm ignoring the just before bedtime "I don't like middle school" comments. I'm mentally translating them to: middle school is not as much fun as elementary school, I'm in transition, and I need help with the transition. Fine. She comes home from school jazzed about her day and eager to tell me all about it, so I don't think I should worry too much.

waking up early

This sucks. Awake at 6:35, out the door by 7:15, at school by 7:45. And, like so many things I don't like about middle school, it is completely unnecessary. They start middle school so early, so they can use the same buses for elementary school. Or they could flip that paradigm. Many parents have been advocating for this, but our mismanaged school system can't make the change.

So, for the first time ever, Rose has to get up to an alarm. (And don't you dare start with the well, she'll have to get used to it sometime. I'm labeling that the bang your head against the wall logical fallacy, as in, you're going to have to bang your head against the wall later, so it's important to start now.) And I have to get up to an alarm too because I love my darling girl and want to say good-bye to her in the morning. Actually, I would much rather be sleeping (as I accidentally did this morning) but feel obliged. It sucks. Even with packing the lunch and laying out the clothes the night beforehand, the morning feels dangerously rushed. Even with trying to get to bed at a decent hour, we are all short of sleep which makes us irritable, weepy, rude to our younger brother, and anxious, which makes it hard to fall asleep. With my accidental sleeping in this morning, I got nine hours of sleep and feel on top of the world. We should all feel this way every day.