Enough With the Special Days, Okay?

Well, it’s a good thing I checked Facebook before leaving for work this morning.  Today was Dress Like Your Favourite Book Character day and I sent my kids to school in plain old clothes!  Imagine the horror! Our nanny had left the house with the kids only a few minutes before, so I raced upstairs to grab a couple of costumes then hopped in my car to dress them up before they got to school.  Whew!    

How did I let this one slip past me?

Oh, right.  I know how it happened….there are too many special days to keep track of.  THE SPECIAL DAYS ARE JUST TOO MUCH!  Earlier this week, it was Wear Pink Day.  Before that, it was Dress Like a Pirate Day, and then Snuggle Up and Read Day, and Green Day, then Blue Day, and Every-Other-Colour-You-Can-Think-Of Day.  And don’t forget the countless Pajama Days.  There’s also Mystery Bag Day, Popcorn Day, Cookie Day and Bring a Cup of Coins Day!

I would love to be the parent that can stay totally on top of this crap but I’m just not.  I do my best to pack my kids healthy snacks every day, I search high and low to make sure library books are returned on time and that they’re in comfortable pants and sneakers on gym days.  I have monthly classroom calendars stuck to the fridge and important dates written on our family calendar but still I find myself in a cold sweat burning rubber up my street when I’m already late for work and all because my kids are not dressed in costumes related to yet another special day.  When will it end?

Don't get me wrong, I believe that learning should be fun but all the special days?  They are just too much.