Skip to main content

School Jitters

My children start school on Tuesday. Tuesday. As in, just a few short days away.

I think I'm more nervous than they are.

Do they have the "right" shoes? Are their clothes stylish enough? Their backpacks? Do they have the necessary school supplies, and when did schools stop requiring children to bring their own paper and pencils and why wasn't I told?

That's just the insanely superficial stuff I wonder about. The stuff that really, really doesn't matter. Except that kids are terribly superficial, aren't they? They notice clothes and haircuts. They notice if one is not like the others and they're too young to value individuality or creativity at this age. Being different is bad.

But then I start thinking about the important stuff that moms and dads are really supposed to be concerned with..you know, academics. Homework. Test scores. Responsibility and accountability.

I think about my oldest son's 504 Plan and whether or not the accommodations therein will be honored if I have to press them upon an unwilling teacher. While this has never happened, what if this the one time I have to really, really advocate on his behalf? And when am I crossing the line between a concerned, active parent and an overprotective pain-in-the-ass? I don't want to be annoying. But I can be. Will be.

Hopefully it won't be necessary. Hopefully the child will be just fine and his teacher will be the epitome of awesomeness.

Then there's the little guy. I can't forget to focus on him, to make sure just because he doesn't face the same struggles as his brother that I haven't overlooked his needs.

Geesh.

Comments

  1. As a teacher I face the same issues. The students all notice whether someone has worn the same t-shirt more than once in a week, or if the haircut isn't in style. I also worry that I am giving too much attention to some students and not enough to others. It is a delicate balance... good luck. Keep in touch with me if you ever wonder if you are becoming to over-bearing. Hope the boys have a good year!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Camping with Little Boys

  Our first travel trailer. I don't remember camping much with my family as a kid. This is likely because we always had the same vacation destination: a family plot in Baldwin, MI. There was no cabin there. Instead, there were two structures: a small, silver camper and an old single-wide trailer. The silver camper is gone but the single-wide still sits there and is used by extended family members to this day.  It wasn't until I was a teenager that my step-mom and dad bought a pop-up trailer and we started camping elsewhere in the state. My memory isn't the greatest, but I'm almost certain they got the pop-up after I started dating Ken. Eventually, my parents upgraded to a fifth wheel that my dad still pulls around to various nearby camping spots. Ken, by contrast, didn't have a set vacation destination growing up. His family camped. They started out with a truck-bed camper, I believe, and eventually upgraded to a fifth wheel.  Ken and I vacationed both in Baldwin an

They saved the finger..

This was supposed to be an easy, carefree weekend.  One of those rare weekends where spontaneity is possible because plans were not made ahead of time.  We could lounge on the couch, work on our hobbies, or even do a little shopping.  And, no, I'm not referring to the necessary evil of grocery shopping, but the much more enjoyable version where you get to buy things that actually make you happy. Because the oldest boy needed some pants and the youngest could use a new pair of shoes, I decided to head into the city to do some shopping at Kohl's.  Of course, my decision to shop there was not quite so altruistic.  Mama needed a new bathing suit! So, I pack the kids up and head into the city.  The youngest picks out his shoes . The oldest tries on a few pairs of jeans and ends up with two in the basket.  Did I mention we have to shop in the men's department now?  That he's wearing size 29?  My baby is growing up! Then it was Mom's turn.  I was looking ove

It Should Be Our 28th Wedding Anniversary

I had to do the math twice. Probably because I'm really bad at math. Today should have been our 28th wedding anniversary. We only made it to 26, which is so impressive when you consider how many marriages end in divorce.  So, because I have no doubt in my mind we would have been married still today had cancer not taken him, I want to honor our special day. So, here's a Happy Should Have Been Anniversary to my hubby in heaven.  Today, as I recognize what should have been and think about what was, I figured I'd share not only some lovely pictures from our wedding day but I'd explain how this widow plans to move through October 15, 2022.  In just a little bit, I'm joining another Millington widow at a Widow's Luncheon, which is being hosted by the Amish Church in Millington. I'm a bit nervous, to be honest, because I don't know what to expect. On my best days, I consider mys