My daughter asked why I always pull up to carpool five minutes early but we're still late

My daughter asked why I always pull up to carpool five minutes early but we're still late.

I told her we arrive in the physical realm ahead of schedule.

But the emotional preparation—shoes, water bottle, permission slip, existential dread—operates on a different timeline.

Punchline

We're early to the parking lot, late to readiness. It's called quantum parenting.