I remember Samantha’s first day of Kindergarten. I swore I would not be the kind of parent who sat there and sobbed about giving my child up for a whopping two and a half hours to public education. So I took her up to the Kindergarten area where she gathered with all the other five and six-year-olds and she stood quietly against the wall, taking it all in. I would be cool. I would not be one of those needy parents rushing off to the “Tissues and Tears” meeting immediately following the initial drop-off because come on, that’s just silly.
As I watched her standing there waiting for the teachers to come out I suddenly felt light-headed. I thought to myself, So I’m just supposed to walk up and leave her here? Just like that? I’m going to put her in a room with twenty kids where surely half of them are bullies, and numerous staff I've never met where for all I know the janitor is a pedophile, and I just leave her here? Does nobody else see these older, sinister fifth graders walking around trying to be cool and having to walk RIGHT PAST the Kindergarten area where my little innocent girl is going to be standing every day? And who are these crazy parents who just drive up to the curb and drop their kids off to fend for themselves? Can you do that? Who does that? I will never do that.
“Good Morning children!” greeted the enthusiastic teachers who detailed the protocol of the day. I shouted out a final “I love you!” and watched her go into class as if I was sending her like a lamb to the slaughter, then walked to my car.
And I cried.
It is six years later and for the record, I drop my kids off at the curb EVERY DAY, and now my oldest is one of those heretofore described as “sinister” fifth-graders. The other day she came home with a paper detailing the latest fundraiser and it is the first one I have decided to participate in. Because it’s chocolate bars, and who can argue with the value of that? So we have been dutifully selling chocolate bars for the last month.
“Only the 5th graders are doing this one,” Samantha explained.
“Whatever”, I thought. “It’s chocolate, who am I to argue?”
Well, here’s the KICKER people! Do you know why it’s just the fifth graders who are selling the chocolate? Because it’s raising money for something only the FIFTH graders get to do! And do you know what that is boys and girls???? Well naturally, it is for the fifth grade TRIP! And do you know what the fifth grade trip is BOYS AND GIRLS???? Well they’re going to the mountains! FOR THREE DAYS!! WITH NO PARENTS!! FOR THREE DAYS!! THEY WANT TO TAKE MY CHILD FOR AN ENTIRE WEEKEND AND I HAVE BEEN HELPING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN BY SELLING CHOCOLATE!!
ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME????
What is the world coming to? Preschool has a graduation and now 5th graders have a trip.
I think I’m gonna cry.
5 comments:
Ok, Kristy, Calm Down. They have a 5th grade trip here, too, and it's for 5 days! And you can't call them or anything. Luckily for me, my oldest child was a boy, so I was able to let him go on this trip. He had a GREAT time, I cleaned out his room and closet while he was gone (throwing out bags and bags of crap), and he came home singing all the latest in annoying camp songs. This year my daughter gets to go, but we'll choose an all girl week for her to go, and make sure she can go the same week as her three friends in the neighborhood.
And, what the heck is "tissues and tears?"
We don't have to face this one till next year. Still not OK! Hopefully that extra year will convince me she is big enough to hold her own.
Ginger
I remember my fifth grade trip, it was probably the best thing that happened to me the whole time I was in elementary school. Soooo fun! For some reason everyone seemed to behave more nicely at camp than they did during the week at school, not sure why. Hopefully thats comforting.
Niece Rachel
Oh my. I heard about this already and see it's still freaking you out. Girl Scout campouts have been hard for me, too, but Rachel has had so much fun on them and I know she will next year on the 5th grade trip. The teachers will protect Samantha. She's a wonderful, smart girl who can hold her own. She'll have all her friends with her. Panic and pray and worry like any good mother would, but think hard before you tell her no - unless you feel the Holy Spirit telling you no :). She'll have a blast and it will be a growing up experience for her and she will always remember how her normally freaked out mom let her have this great adventure her last year of elementary school....Then nurse me through it next year, okay?
To 2 meters from the river it was like we had been projects to you in the empty one of a new world, luminous how much wants, but blind while it is always come down. If we opened the eyes , for a moment, the sight became a veil, but all that one fascinated me ..... that one was the sea. The ocean
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