3:30 PM

Many days, we all hit a 3-4 pm-ish slump. We have to pick Sylvia up at 3:30, which results in post-long school day syndrome. She is combination of tired/cranky/crabby, I have low blood sugar and dream about taking a nap, and Easton is dazed from a weird nap. Since daylight savings happened, I've been trying to kick Easton's nap to the curb. I figured it was a good week to do it, since Syl is out on break and they were both staying up till almost 10 (and waking up at 9:30, eesh!).

But he is the result: Easton is super whiny around 3:30 because his body is used to that mid-day rest, Syl is a bit tired from whatever things we've been doing all day, and I'm hungry and cranky from no down time. Syl benefits from reading quietly in her room, but Easton is 3 and will have no part of it. He plays well by himself, but usually in the morning (it ain't happening mid-day).

All these equations add up to me with a short fuse and a desparate need for a happy hour cocktail (not really possible when alone with small children). I count down the seconds till Dave gets off work, I start texting him nervously asking when he's leaving, what second has he turned his car on, and how bad is the traffic for the next 20 blocks. I'm telling you, it's serious. My only solution is to go exercise as soon as he gets home, leaving him with little transition time from work to home, and making me miss family dinners. I try not to do this every night (especially since a few mornings a week I take Easton to the gym with me), but it's calling my name tonight. The storm clouds are brewing outside, scaring me to go take a run, and forcing me to think about running out the door to the gym.

So what do you all do for a transition? Do you often feel the urge to escape as soon as your other gets home? I know it's a common feeling to have, especially for a mostly work-from-home-mom, but the guilt is ridiculous, and I don't have any other solutions to break that 3:30 funk.