As sad as I hate to see an end to a wonderful summer it was time for the fellas to return to school. I tried to remind Hagen of this monumental occassion.."this is the last time it will be the first day of school for you at Old Town Elementary." His response..."yeah, i guess." So much for taking a moment.
We are on year six of the public school system, it seems like only yesterday I raced home from work, swooped up the kids from daycare to drop off Hagen's school supplies in my allotted 45 minute window. We were nearly the last to arrive with several bags in hand. I foolishly thought I would set down the markers, crayons, and manilla paper and explore the classroom with Hagen. Turns out I had to put away his supplies. The teacher handed me instructions for putting away the supplies and though they were written for a 5 year old, I was confused where everything went. I started to sweat and suddenly felt overwhelmed as the class parrot began chirping next to me as if it was mocking me saying "stupid parent, stupid parent, stupid parent." I dispersed the rest of the supplies and then bent over at a table that came to my ankles to sign up for stuff, it was at that moment a mother and daugher walked into the classroom and said, "Here Mrs. Teacher we made you this homeade chocolate pie from scratch for you. We are so excited about this year. Oh and someone told us you love to drink this soda so we got you a case." Whoa...wait a minute here. No one told me this whole thing was transacation based. Was I suppose to bring a gift? Would Hagen get less attention, less love, less smarts, since I didn't get a gift. Shit. Now the parrot spoke again, "Loser parent, loser parent, loser parent." I gave the parrot the evil eye and wandered out of the classroom. Then I saw it. The teacher's wish list. A list of supplies the teacher would like donated to the classroom. I had picked up the sticky note for "boom box" when Rog arrived. I gave him the download about the supplies, the pie, and the parrot and said it was clear the only thing I could do was buy the teacher a boom box. I mean, how else would Hagen graduate college? Roger slowly pulled the sticky note out of my hands and returned it to the board. He said, "That seems a bit much. Let's start with feathers and see where that gets us."
Here we are again, I have gotten better at a few things...
-I will never understand where to put the supplies when we drop them off and I am ok with that.
-I label my chidren's possession with full knowledge that once they are lost they will not return to our home, but I label anyway.
-I think it is perfectly fine to borrow money from your child's piggy bank when a random $2.75 is needed for something as random.
-I insist on a first day of school picture, but let go of their hand when they say they are ok to go the rest of the way alone.
-I don't make homeade chocolate pies for the teacher but I do slip them Starbucks gift cards as a way to say..."I know my child really well and you are going to need this."
Kindegarten
3rd & 5th grade
