Working Mom, with just-graduated-kindergartener

And scene:


University office building. Early work morning. Mom has just taken chairs from around office and used blanket that she normally uses to fend off the a/c chill from vents above and created a "tent."

Child in tent.

Mom at computer.

Dad at office, miles away. If blocked, have father off stage, reading texts as disembodied voice.


Mom types through scene, working. Child talks from under tent. Also can pop out at will, interrupting with new drawings, requests for highlighters to use as markers, and Nintento DS assistance.

As told through texts from parent to parent. May be read aloud on stage.


DAD: Woohoo! Page views are spiking this morning. It is a
good day. It's looking really good for us meeting the monthly goal.

MOM: Yay!
Kid is camped out in a "tent" made of my chairs and a blanket I have here.
I'm plowing through email.
Groan.


DAD: Enough room to bring the actual princess tent? :-)


MOM: No.


Sent at 8:19 AM on Tuesday


MOM: First meltdown over DS. Also, no stylus. Grrr.


DAD: Oh wonderful.


MOM: Sigh.
Three and a half more hours.

DAD: I'm starting to think we should have kept that
portable DVD. This is the exact moment it would be helpful.

MOM: Yes, but, she'll manage.


Sent at 9:04 AM on Tuesday
MOM: "How much longer 'til lunch, Mom?"


Sent at 9:13 AM on Tuesday
MOM: Just sent you a link to a pool. Thoughts?


Sent at 9:19 AM on Tuesday
MOM: annnnnddddd now we are pouting because I won't go home. Sigh.
I wish I knew a college student in town willing to earn some extra cash.


Sent at 11:30 AM on Tuesday
DAD: Very sorry.


MOM: She's just being a brat, albeit a quiet brat.

Sent at 11:45 AM on Tuesday
MOM: Hear that? That's the sound of silence. It is beautiful.


Truly, it wasn't horrible. Wasn't great. Can't wait for eldest to be done with finals so she can earn her pay as a sitter.