I love how the last month of school, everyone’s like fuck it. The parents are like fuck it, the kids are like fuck it and the teachers (I’m sure) are like fuck it. What I mean is we are just days away from the finish line and everyone’s doing everything they can, just to get there, with minimal effort. I thought it would be fun to compare what school days are like in September as opposed to May in the Hot Mess household. Here it goes…….
Schedules
September: I was making simple yet effective calendars, and writing everyone’s schedule down. I knew what days the boys would be off and had my in-laws lined up to watch them.
May:
Me: “You have another day off? WTF? You just had one last week. What’s it for this time?”
P: “Teacher training, I think.”
Me: “Teacher training? That’s what college is for. And they wonder why American kid’s education isn’t keeping up with the rest of the world. Cause you guys are never in school!”
Lunches
September: I’ve sliced fresh strawberries and put black forest ham on a freshly baked ciabatta roll. Your G2 Gatorade is perfectly chilled and still warm cookies are placed lovingly in a Tupperware container. I’ve hand written a note of encouragement and placed it in the bottom of the box.
May:
Me: “Why won’t you just flippin’ buy your lunch? How could you not like their pizza? How do you not like pizza? Well if I’m makin’ your lunch your gettin’ a lunchable. I’ll throw in an applesauce cup for nutrition but your gettin’ a lunchable.”
Clothing
September: I look into my 13-year-old’s room as he sleeps and notice he has laid out his outfits for next 2 days. There are even matching socks and underwear for each outfit.
May:
C: “Mom, I don’t have any clean socks.”
Me: “Yes you do, there’s a basket next to my bed with about 100 clean socks. Just find a pair.”
Clothing Part 2
September: It’s 85, you can’t wear your new jeans and sweatshirt!
May: It’s 55, you can’t wear your new shorts and t-shirt!
Bed Times
September: 9 PM, on the dot, time for bed. Lights out.
May: It’s 10! What are you still doin’ up?
Take Home Folder
September: Each night the parents are to check their child’s folder and see what color they got on a scale. It basically tells you if your kid was good today or not. You initial each day. You also review all the paperwork in your kids folder.
May: I haven’t initialed the folder since March. When I inquired about it C said the teacher doesn’t check them anymore. Again, we’re all just tryin’ to make it.
So by the time the end of the school year rolls around, are you guys like this? Just doing everything you can to survive? We are!
Yep, I feel you.
Good! Glad I’m not the only one who does this!
Offspring graduated in January (this was encouraged, since his class was so large—apparently it helps college admissions to break them up into manageable chunks) so I’m surprised when I see packs of wild children roaming around schools and frustrated parents trying not to crush each other in the pickup zone. What’s all this, then? There’s still school? You still have children? WHY?!?
Congrats on the graduation! C always takes the bus home so we rarely have to deal with a pick-up, thank God! The school is like 100 years old so there is 0 space for cars as kids probably walked to school or by horse and buggy?
Totally feel you on this! And I’m not a parent
I figured you would especially with your kiddos you have! It would be the same thing for you!!!
Oh yes! What I’m struggling with now is that with warmer weather they don’t want their days so scheduled so they can play. Tears are becoming more and more common as the frustration rises lol
I understand. Kids don’t understand routine and would rather run about like Lord of the Flys in the warmer weather. Totally get it! Good luck with all of them! Your a busy gal, that’s for sure!
Haha thanks