Son anxious for school

August 19, 2008 · Posted in Tribune articles · Comment

Here we are again, that last month before school starts. Most kids are getting long-faced at the demise of their summer freedom. Some are already “practicing” getting to bed at the right time to allow them to make the bus, or the van, whichever the case may be. MY son, however, didn’t, apparently realize that there were these 31 days of August between him and kindergarten, because all summer long, he’s been saying, “How many days till July 31, Mom?”. I was wondering why in the world he was worried about “July 31”, but have concluded that sometimes it’s best to just not ask, where that child is concerned.

July 31 rolls around, and he was literally bouncing all day. “Goody, goody! Today is July thirty firtz!” and clapping his hands like some creepy little junior cheerleader. (not that cheerleaders are all creepy, but there are those few who are SO cheery, you just want to pinch them to make ‘em stop for just a minute or two) So I finally said to him, “WHY is it such a big deal that today is July 31, Buddy?” And he says, “Because TOMORROW, I get to go to KINDERGARTEN!” And I said, “No, tomorrow is August 1, and then there are 31 days in August, and then you will start school on Sept. 2, I believe.”

I could not have wounded him more, if I had told him that all the chocolate factories in the world had closed down, and he’d never have chocolate ice cream again. OH the look of anguish in his little face! I don’t know if you’ve experienced looking at sad eyes through a prescription for a kid who is very far sighted, but the eyes are magnified. And when big, brown eyes get magnified, and then tears come rolling out of them in big old drops, it will just about tear your heart out! The poor little guy was just devastated! “THIRTY ONE DAYS!” he said, with all the same emotion that you could imagine he’d use to express dismay over that whole chocolate thing, “I can’t MAKE it that long!”

I don’t know yet, who his teacher is going to be in Kindergarten, but I DO sincerely hope he or she lives up to his expectations! He has a whole list of things he plans to learn while there, and I won’t hesitate to assume he will just raise his hand and ASK to learn about the things they don’t cover the first day! He already know all the addition facts from 1 to 10, and is working on up to 20. He’s figured out that if 5 plus 5 equals 10, then 50 plus 50 equals 100. Teacher better watch out for this one. He’s going places, with or without the rest of the class! We’re almost there, Buddy, we’re almost there!

Teacher huh?

May 10, 2008 · Posted in New, Tribune articles · Comment

This months installment from wifes column! {clap}

Well, this last month hasn’t quite been the giant bowl of yucks that it has been in the past. My mom has had to go to a nursing home for the long haul, and that has kind of sucked the joy out of a lot of things for me. Her memory has gone to the point where most days, she thinks I’m her sister, 50 years ago or so, and my oldest son is her brother before he got married and moved away. And the younger grandkids are just cute little kids she has pictures of. She doesn’t really recognize my Dad as her husband, some days either. That’s not easy to see. On the 20th, they’ll have been married for 58 years. That’s pretty impressive, in my opinion. I can’t imagine that much time under one roof with anyone. I like my “me” time!

But the other day, after we’d been to see Grandma, taken Grandpa back home, and were FINALLY (said with all the exasperation that a 4 year old can muster, complete, I’m sure with a GIANT eye roll) on our way back home, Andy announced to me: “When I grow up, I’m going to work at Checkers!” Said with the same enthusiasm that he usually reserves for “I’m going to have cake!” Now, mind you, there’s nothing wrong with working fast food. I’ve done it. It paid my bills for several years. I went to school to manage restaurants, and despite what people think, even fast food with a drive through counts as a restaurant. It’s like a denim jumper compared to a ball gown. They’re both dresses, just not in the same category. But with this child’s wicked imagination, and intelligence, I just feel that maybe we should aspire to something a little “more” than fast food.

I said “Well, honey, I think that maybe you should be like a scientist, or a doctor when you grow up! You are so smart, you could come up with a cure for cancer, so nobody else’s Daddy has to go through cancer like your Dad did.” And he says, “OR! I could be a TEACHER! If a school doesn’t have a teacher, then I can be the teacher, and if the kids want a “A” then I’ll give ‘em a “A”, and if they want a “F” then that’s what they’ll get! It’ll just be an “A” and “F” school! Isn’t THAT a great idea?” You know, the more I think about it, maybe that’s the way schools SHOULD be. So much of life is ”Pass/Fail”, maybe school should prepare you for it. It could be a charter school, maybe. You go through the lessons, and you take a test, and you either get it, or you don’t. Time to start going to school board meetings! I’ll lobby for the pass/fail system! Like Bonnie Rait says in her song; “Let’s Give ‘em Somethin’ to Talk About!” Wouldn’t THAT be an interesting brew-ha-ha!

{clap}