by Emily Thompson

The last week of term is always an absolute disaster, but this year things have been kicked into overdrive. Somehow, we’ve ended up with ANZAC activities, an athletics carnival, cross country, an Easter hat parade, end-of-term award ceremony, final assembly, and an Easter lunch — all over the course of five exhausting days. Thank goodness we said goodbye to Daylight Savings on Sunday, so at least we’re not getting up in darkness at 7am (that is, the middle of the night).

Monday: Today is Miss Seven’s athletics carnival that was rescheduled. I have a work meeting in Bathurst, but I’m confident I can make it back in time to make an appearance. No canteen today, but yesterday I smugly bought bread, yoghurt, and fruit. A little too smugly, I discover, because somehow we’re already out of bananas. I decide no-one else will have fruit in the last week and it’s okay. As we head towards the door, Miss Seven announces she needs to wear her house colours. “What house are you in?” I ask, panicked. “I dunno” replies the child who hasn’t attended a single sporting day in her first two years of school due to COVID. We choose blue and cross our fingers.

Tuesday: I look forward to a quiet day where the only event is Miss Seven’s ANZAC ceremony. It’s held in the local park but, despite being close enough to walk there, I’m busy and don’t go. I’d love to attend all school events, but sometimes work needs to be my priority. Instead, we agree to attend the ANZAC march in town as a family. I’m even organised enough to pop dinner in the slow cooker. Unfortunately, I’m not organised enough to actually turn it on. We eat toast for dinner, which is fine for the last week.

Wednesday: Cross country. Miss Seven gets a bit upset about this because she’s not sure she’s a good enough swimmer to attend. After a few probing questions, we explain the difference between cross country and triathlon and remind her she’s an amazing runner. She has to wear house colours again (it was blue, but I forgot to wash yesterday, so it’s filthy and of course, she only owns one). I hope the amazing teachers snap some photos so I can see them later, but that they’re slightly out of focus so she doesn’t look homeless. She needs to take lunch again, so I pack a jam sandwich, a yoghurt, a muesli bar and a roll up — then quickly message her teacher asking her not to call FACS about the contents of her lunch box.

Thursday: Today. Easter bonnet parade, hot dog lunch, assembly and awards. But today is also the day of a very strategically booked car service. It means hubby is working from home and can happily attend all events. He gets to relish the role of “involved parent” and I get to enjoy a productive child-free day of work. With today sure to go smoothly, I assume we can cruise through tomorrow and into the holidays stress free…

Unfortunately, no.

Miss 13 announces that not only is Friday her athletics carnival, but there’s no buses and she needs to be dropped off and picked up. I demand to see the note and she produces one from weeks’ ago that I apparently signed (without reading) agreeing to be her personal chauffeur for the day. She also needs to wear red (her house colour apparently) but obviously she owns nothing red.

Hats — or Easter bonnets — off to everyone who made it though. Enjoy the holidays xxx