Should I stay or should I go?

Should I stay or should I go now?

Should I stay or should I go now?

If I go there will be trouble

And if I stay it will be double

So come on and let me know--

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?

Who knew that the Clash would be singing lyrics that are so relevant to MOTHERHOOD?

Here is the question of the day- WHEN TO LEAVE THE PARTY?

Anyone else have a problem with rounding up there little ones to leave a party, or a park, or Grandma's house, or ANY event that IS NOT HOME? It is DRIVING ME NUTS! I am starting to consider NOT GOING to fun things because I KNOW LEAVING will be AWFUL!! Often I try to avoid going places in the evenings without JT. It is SO much more exhausting for me to get the kids rounded up to go home when I am on my own. (and feeling like "the bad guy") But this has transferred over into EVERYTHING. Play dates at friends'. Going to the Park. Even going to Fred Meyer! WHY is it that LEAVING anything is such an ordeal??

I have been TRYING to figure WHAT the MAGIC TIME is for the TIME TO GO? I can tell you when it is EXACTLY 5 minutes AFTER the TIME we SHOULD have LEFT... because that is when it goes from "Having Fun" to "Absolute BREAK DOWN". But I am only aware of that when the BREAK DOWN happens.

So the only TRUE INDICATOR that I can see for WHEN I SHOULD GO- is WHEN I AM JUST STARTING TO RELAX.

You know the point when everyone has been fed, when they have settled into an area to play that is keeping their interest, when I have sat down and am actually in a conversation that doesn't necessitate a referee or a time out, when I am thinking to myself "Now THIS is why we came!"

THAT IS THE POINT WHEN I SHOULD JUST GET UP AN GO.

Because it is always 5 minutes into that adult conversation, that peace and quiet, that relaxation - that the BREAK DOWNS BEGIN and I realize it is a half hour past bed time and we still have to load into the stroller and walk home.

SO- NEXT TIME we are at an "EVENT" together. (Whether that is the zoo, the park, or even just your home) and you see me settling in and starting to relax... PLEASE SIGNAL ME and TELL ME TO GO HOME. :)