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Welcome back for another edition of Fatherhood Friday. Visit Dad-Blogs.com to read some really great fatherhood related posts from some talented bloggers. 
It's that time of year again. You know when parents are beaming and kids are sulking. School is back and you know that means, WeaselMomma has a headache.
For 3 entire weeks I have been running around like crazy trying to get all the appointments and school supplies. I really hate these errands. Some of them are asinine, yet mandatory. Some of them are scavenger hunt like and some of them are a wild goose chase.
An example of the asinine is that in certain grades the children must have a dental appointment and the paperwork to prove it. Don't get me wrong, I am all about dental hygiene and care. I just don't see how it's any of the governments business or a public health and safety issue. After all, gingivitis and cavities are not communicable diseases. I can understand being up to date on immunizations of serious and spreadable diseases, I don't see how the government tracking my child's dental health is anything more than an invasion of privacy.
The scavenger hunt comes from the dreaded school supply list.
- 20 blue erasable pens.
- 5 Pocket Folders (1 blue, 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green, 1 orange)
- 1 pack of 24 crayola crayons.
- 1 pack of 8 crayola crayons.
- 2 pink erasers.
The wild goose chase is an extension of the school supply list. This is when a teacher adds an item to the list that is either too obscure or too specific to be found easily and you wind up running around to 10 different stores and using a half tank of gas to secure the elusive green folder with 1 eyed purple puppy on the cover, 2 pockets and 3 prongs. That is just when I say, you've got to be kidding me.
My reward for accomplishing all these tasks, HOMEWORK! I hate homework. I hated homework when I was in school and I hate it now. Yes, it's a necessary evil. Yes, it is for the good of the student. I still hate it more than brussel sprouts. I graduated. I earned my degree. Why am I still doing homework?
The one positive that I will have this school year. A moment that I have been working 15 years to achieve. For the first time since my trek into motherhood, all of the Weasels will be in school full time. Smallest Weasel starts Kindergarten on Tuesday and I will have my house back for 6 whole hours at a time Monday through Friday.
As far as what I will do with myself, don't worry, I'll figure it out.
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19 comments:
I can't wait for school to start!
My shopping list was easy this year and has been packed in the backpack for 3 weeks now, all ready to go.
The dentist??seriously? wow...
3 more years and then I get the house to myself full time...sigh
The private schools are the worst with those supply lists. We used to have to provide copy paper and disinfecting wipes, get Elmer's glue AND glue sticks, get one of each of seven different colored folders and notebooks and buy specific, expensive brand scissors. I'm down to one kid in high school and all she's required to have is a few folders, notebooks, pens and pencils!
Congrats on your newfound freedom. I'm sure you will LOVE it!
I don't have kids old enough to be in school, but I've always liked scavenger hunts! Maybe it will be something to look forward to. . .as for the homework. Blegh. Not so much, I'm afraid.
I hate having to do homework too. Not because I don't like it on its own, but because most of the homework on school projects these days is peppered with so much ambiguity and unclear directions, it's impossible to just sit down with the kids and get it done. You need to have the teacher right there with you explaining what was meant and what is being asked for.
And if the kid isn't motivated, he/she can drag it on all night long until you just cave and let them watch "Nightmare Before Christmas" for the gazillionth time while you're writing an essay on why it's more ethical to use paper bags than plastic.
Hello
By the good I see your banners. Well done.
I blog over to try and comment about it I have.
Happy 6 hours daily!
In this economy, if the schools were smart they'd create back to school packages with all the necessary items your kids will need, tack on a reasonable mark up for the convenience of avoiding such trips and sell them. Do I have to think of everything for these people?
What Terri said. What Tom said.
I envy you. I wish I was a SAHM with six whole hours of freedom every day. Not going to happen. Besides with only a hs sophomore at home, I'd probably feel like a fraud.
I only help with homework I understand, that leaves out computers, math and science on the hs level. Most other things, I can get through.
I know how you feel about school. I'm right there with you. But, I have to admit, the scavenger hunt is not bad with one in hs.
I hate the back to school shopping. My daughter needed wide ruled no easy tear notebooks. Three of them. I swear they do not EXIST! I got the 5 cent ones at Meijer with easy tear pages and let the teacher deal with it. Also, hate when they put certain rooms need certain items and don't tell you the classroom your kid will be until a week before school. Then you're fighting all the other screaming parents at the store.
Your headline has made me avoid your post all day.
I'm a teacher and while I don't start until Sept. 14 -- I know, we have real summer vacations here in Seattle -- I'm not ready for summer to be over!
Thumbs up on the glasses.
I have all of this in front of me - thanks!
Once you get the lists done - i do think that the six hours of free house will be adequate remuneration!
Mark
What's even better here is that the kids don't find out what they need until the first day of school. This causes mayhem at Staples the first afternoon of school.
I like summer.
kindergarten?/ I wish that little weasel was going to be in MY class!!!!!
Jason ~ Most of my shopping is done, the rest I may just blow off. I love having the gang home. Frankly it's easier.
@ Terri ~ It's much easier when they are in H.S. No silly requirements.
@ Tom ~ I think all these years of homework is accumulated for time 'time served' in purgatory.
@ Per Day ~ Thanks for stopping by?
@ de-I ~ That makes for one heck of a happy hour.
@ PJ ~ They actually do, or some schools do. I just didn't have the cash to fork out back in May when orders were due.
@ Surprised ~ I am sure that my six hours will be filled with to-dos. I will be ever to do them in peace without interruption.
@ Jennifer ~ I hear ya!
@ Teacher Tom ~ Enjoy the rest of your summer. I wish we didn't start until after labor day.
@ SmallPrint ~ Good luck. It took 15 years for me to here and I still have 13 more years before all my kids graduate H.S.
@ Sue ~ Ouch! That's how it was when I was in school too.
@ Vodka Mom ~ I would have loved that! Mostly because I would know that she would have a fantastic teacher.
Dentist?
What do they do about families without dental coverage? I'd be curious to see what the school system would do if you stand your ground... (I.E. Send kids to dentist, and tell the school to mind their own business - then cite HIPPA, and start rambling on about data privacy, governmental regulations, blah, blah, blah.
I am so tired of the school districts and their power and money hungry attempts at controling us as parents.
Ya know... The younger kids all have their anti-establishment bands like "Rage agaist the Machine" - which almost always protest "the man"...
Maybe it's time we start our own "rage agaist the machines of our lives as parents" - You know... "Take the Power Back", "Killing in the name of" - that kind of stuff...
Right now - I'm in a bit of a "dispute" with my school district (now that we have one in the public school system) that want to label one of the kids as "special needs"... SPECIAL NEEDS?? He has made the B honor roll for over half the year!!
They label kids "special needs" so they can get some extra funding... Then after the kids leave their "grip" - we are stuck trying to clean up the mess... and the aftermath of being labled "special needs".... DO NOT EVEN GET ME STARTED...
= = = =
On a lighter side... We too are achiving our first year of having all the kids either in school!!
The bad news is - I have to switch to overnights... (more on that soon on FOF)...
But that's going to be an odd change for us too!
Great post!
I am not yet in the school shopping part of my parenting but I am not sure how I feel about it. I loved buying the supplIes when I was a kid, but it was probably because I liked the structure that was formed by school. Plus, I loved getting new crayons. We'll see if I love it as an adult. -Jason
Ugh! Reading this brought back those days like they were just yesterday! Did you find the 2-pocket orange folder? I can't remember ever seeing orange ones!
Now, fortunately, it's just myself I have to get ready for school. It's usually a MUCH easier task! ;-)
I always liked getting new supplies, though really I didn't always need new ones since many of the old were still usable, I actually use them now when I need stuff!
The answer to FOF's question about what they do about families that don't have dental insurance is they don't do anything. We didn't have dental until I was in Jr. High and we still were required to do the dentist thing. There is a good chance we would not have gone to the dentist otherwise.
Vaccination is the one thing I totally side with the government on. If they wanted to the Catholic private schools could not have vaccinations required, they choose to follow the same rules as the public schools though and I applaud them for it. The private anti-vaccination religious schools scare me, it is not uncommon for something to go around and kill a bunch of their kids, so sad and senseless!
Hmmm, six hours w/o weasels... You could twitter and blog more =)
It won't matter for me when Andrew starts school, but I'm sure his Grandma will be happy.
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