Tuesday 27 June 2006

Air Traffic Controllers: A most stressful job

While standing in the shower (try not to make a mental picture here please! It's not worth the effort.) I was thinking about the request I made to the other half of we.
"Please can you keep after them to get ready while I just quickly jump in the shower!"
Although he did do this (I could hear his coaxing all the way down to the basement.) The children did manage to find me just the same. Unwilling to break from their regular routine of "morningtime Mom" nagging (them nagging me, not the other way around.) The craziness started.

I found myself thinking about what many people agree is one of the more stressfull jobs on the planet. Air Traffic Control. Now, I can't imagine I would want the responsibility of directing large numbers of hulking bodies of metal at break neck speeds past each other, for a living. I'd be a basket case! Well, even more so of a basket case. This morning however, I was feeling a little like an air traffic controller. I've compiled a list of things that I do to control the seamless flight of my children to their appointed destinations in an attempt to see if I may also share some of the stress that these individuals may feel. Here's what I came up with:

*Does the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) get interupted in the shower to ask about preparations for the flight? I would guess no. I however was asked where a pair of shorts might be since a pair didn't seem to jump out and bite 1 of 4 on the nose when she looked in her drawer.

*Does the ATC receive complaints when terrorists take over a flight, and are ATC's responsible for the hostages? I have no idea, but I'd say no to the hostage part. I on the otherhand (while still in the shower might I add) had to hear about how 3 of 4 had waylaid 4 of 4's toy puppy and was threatening to give it a full and propper swirly in the toilet. Which probably hadn't been flushed all morning! A bad habit I have yet to break. (There is still some lingering concern about 'spoding toilets in this house.)

*Does the ATC have to participate in the food preparation for the in-flight meals? NOT! Not only is this part of my job, but also removing the week old sandwich (unrecognizable in nature) from 2 of 4's backback, so she wouldn't mistakenly partake of it's moldy rancid goodness instead....as has been previously known to happen.

*Does the ATC have to get upstairs to find one of the aircraft had yet to get dressed, brush it's teeth and hair while also finding it's shoes while the bus sits waiting outside the door? No, No and NO! (We all know speedy waits for no one!)

All the above being said, I still have to admit that an Air Traffic Controller's job is indeed more stressful than mine I am sure.

.....but oh! wait!.....I almost forgot!

Is the ATC's other half sitting in her office (and planning on remaining there for the entire day) with a man's version of a virus. (need I say more?!) NO! DEFINATELY NOT! That alone is equivalent of a few dozen aircraft!

Maybe I was being a bit hasty on saying their job is more stressful. Let's just say it's a toss up.

Happy second last day of school to those in our school board!

5 comments:

Kurt said...

When I worked Air Traffic Control, people were always bugging me when I was showering. "Your planes are gonna hit each other," they would whine, but it hardly ever happened.

Deb said...

ROTFL. You just described my household!

Here's another one for you: Has an ATC ever been interupted by a passenger who whines another passenger is staring at them and action must be taken immediately?

You, my dear, are a hero. I have trouble with just two kids.

Karima said...

But they don't get to anyone a Timeout.

Anonymous said...

re the samich - I think I'd have kept it in a baggy for September. Think of it as a head start on science fair fodder.

Anonymous said...

I was thinking of this post after a stressful vacation with the children and their grandparents.

After carefully announcing that I was going to the bathroom and requested two minutes of peace, I had Grandpa knocking at the door to talk to me, with me yelling "what part of two minutes don't you understand!!?" ;-)