Fresh new faces

Ok, so I was right, summer wasn't the right time to start my blog. I wound up doing my damnest to forget that school even existed over the summer, instead focusing on Will and Robby and reveling in the SAHM part of my year.

But it's now 2 weeks before Labor Day and in my district, that means school bells are a-ringing! We had Open House last week and 75% of my incoming class managed to toddle in, accompanied by older siblings, parents, grandparents, and assorted other family and friends to meet me, see our classroom, and put away those new school supplies. Or... rather, the less than half that actually brought their school supplies put them away. The others made vague promises about shopping this weekend and having things on Monday. Methinks I had better stock up this weekend so I have extras on hand to share with my new friends!

After only a few minutes with each family I can see some interesting stories coming from this class. In the spirit of keeping my blog as non-specific as possible, my new friends will all get nicknames this year - at least the ones that do something blog-worthy. First up - Princess. Or, as she would say it, Pwintheth.

Princess is a tiny blonde little fairy, who flits around the room eagerly examining the toys while her mother corners me to tell me exactly how Princess' year is going to go. Topic #1 - Lunch. Princess is a picky eater you see, extremely picky, and Mother is afraid Princess is going to starve herself to death over the course of a school day. There are only 4 or 5 foods Princess will allow across her cherry red lips, so Mother will be packing her lunch each day. BUT! The family qualifies for free lunch and Mother doesn't want that food to go to waste. SO! Princess will also need to take a lunch tray each day, just in case there is anything on it she might want to eat. At this point I stopped Mother, in complete disbelief, and said slowly "So..... Princess will have TWO lunches each day? One from home and one from school?" Mother laughed a tinkly aren't-I-so-silly giggle and said "Yes, but she will probably throw most of it away!"

Sidebar - I live/work in a district where nearly 75% of our kids qualify for free or reduced lunch prices. I know damn good and well that for some of these kids, that school provided breakfast and lunch is the best meal they get all day. Many of them clean their plates and ask wistfully for seconds, knowing I can't actually get them extra helpings. In addition to that, with soaring food prices worldwide there are children starving to death every minute of every day. But Princess is going to have 2 lunches every day, most of which she will throw away? Are you f'ing kidding me? Anyway, back to my conversation with Queen Mother.

Topic #2 - Princess' cell phone. Sadly, I don't mean a toy cell phone, or even a non-working real phone her mother has given her to play with. No, Princess has a real, functional cell phone that will be in her backpack each day "in case of emergencies". I asked Mother exactly what emergencies she thought might come up that would require Princess to have access to her very own phone. She waved her hands around and said "Well, her father is deployed right now and there were all those school shootings a few years ago and, well, um.... she just has it! But she knows not to play with it!" I thought for a moment and then told Mother I supposed it was alright for Princess to have under, under the condition that I never saw or heard it. But if it is out, being played with, shown off, or used in a non-emergency OR if it starts ringing during the school day and interrupts my lessons, I will be confiscating it and taking it to the principal's office where Mother will have to get it back herself.

Sidebar, again - What 5/6 year old needs their own cell phone? REALLY?!? I have a cell phone, which is turned off during the day so it won't ring and interrupt my class. The office has 3 separate phone lines. The bus drivers all carry cell phones AND have radio contact with the school at all times. At what point does Queen Mother think we are so going to fail her child that Princess is going to need to whip out her own cellie and call for help? As for her father being deployed, while you have my utmost sympathy and respect, how exactly does that figure into Princess' need for a phone? Are you going to call her during the day to give her updates?

The silver lining here is that Princess herself seems like a lovely child. Well spoken, well mannered, obeyed instantly when her mother called her over to meet me, made eye contact and smiled broadly. Hopefully she and I will get along splendidly and I will just nod my head as Mother continues to attempt to make me bubble wrap her world.

I met several other interesting characters, big and small, at Open House but will save their stories for future posts.