Rain!!!!

10-11-12


Sure, because I needed to be more annoyed at the school.

Bobby greets me in the afternoon with a hug and then a scold. He starts snipping at me, telling me how I need to remember to always put his library book in his backpack on library day. I was super annoyed. I pointed out to him that since day one of kinder, the responsibility of library books fell on the boys. They were to keep their book in their backpack at all times. Sure, take it out to read it, but when you are done, you put it right back. This way you always have it with you at school. Hell, half the time I don’t even know what book they borrowed.

We got home and on his folder in his backpack was a handwritten note. It was clearly something Ms. Jenkins had Bobby copy to give to Ken and I. Needless to say, I was pretty pissed off:



Dear parents,

I need my book in my backpack and I need it by Friday. I need my library book. It is so important that I am benched until I get it. Please bring the library book or pay for it and it is twenty dollars.

Your Son,

Bobby

Fuck you, Miss Jenkins.

Look, I understand the idea of teaching the kids responsibility. But this isn’t doing ANY of that. You basically punished the kid for a simple mistake, his first offense, by the way. In years past if you forget your book, you just don’t get to check out a new book until you bring back the old one. Trust me, this was usually punishment enough since if Bobby forgot his book he was quite upset at not being able to get a new one. What is even worse is that it isn’t like the book is lost. It is simply sitting at home. Issuing a threat of $20 to replace a book (that by the way only cost maybe half that) is just thoughtless torture for a 7 year old. On top of all of this, this letter is addressed to the parents as if it was MY FAULT! Fuck that. Look, you can’t punish my kid if you truly feel that it is the mom’s job to return the book. That is bullshit. I told Bobby that, too. I told him that ultimately it is his responsibility to return the book, but that how dare they bench him simply for something so trivial. These kids get so little time running and now you are punishing them for this??????

I penned a letter to have Bobby copy to send back:

Dear Ms. Jenkins,

I am sorry that I did not bring my library book today. I know that it is my responsibility to remember to put it in my backpack, not my parent’. I will know next week that if I do not bring my book that I will be benched and not my parents. I also know that if I lose my book I will have to pay twenty dollars.

Your student,

Bobby

It is probably good that Bobby really didn’t want to write it because he already had completed a shit ton of homework. The letter isn’t right. I am more pissed than it lets on. I think I need to talk to her. I don’t like this crazy policy. I don’t want to be a pain in the ass for the teacher, but fuck; I don’t want her to be a pain in the ass for me.

Luckily, despite my aggravation with the public school system, the boys and I had a great afternoon. I helped them with their homework, even getting more involved than normal. I didn’t think Bobby needed to spend 16 hours on a fucking word search when he still needed to write 15 sentences. Yeah, that’s right, I helped him find words. I will fight the system the easy way.

We went and picked up dinner since Ken wasn’t going to be home till after 10. We got home and ate, talked and had some fun. Their friends came over and the 4 of them ran around for a couple hours while I was able to sit and read the Avatar comic books Ken got for me. Zach came in the house and was pretty impressed that not only was I reading Avatar, but that I had watched the whole series multiple times and was quite familiar with the story. We had some Aang chit chat and he seemed to enjoy hanging out with me. I never know what to do with kids who seem to prefer to hang out with the grownup over the other kids. Ken pointed out that the other kids in question are in fact younger than Zach, so it is possible that Zach was just looking for someone older to hang with for the change of pace. This makes a lot of sense. I just feel awkward. To some degree, I like getting to know the boys’ friends, but I also like having a little bit of quiet time while all the kids play.

As I was tucking the boys in and then standing in the room saying goodnight, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I don’t know what I thought, especially since no one was supposed to be in the house except the people in the room currently. I calmly turned around and there was Ken. It was only then that I freaked out. What the hell? Shouldn’t I have jumped 30 feet with the tap??? Any hoo, Ken’s ref class had been canceled so he came home early. I was pleased, and amused.

Once again, bed was comfy. It is getting all nice and cold out at night which makes for the best sleep. It started raining this morning on the way to work so the rain forecast may actually come true. I am chomping at the bit to go home right now. I could easily say I don’t feel well. I could go home and curl up on the couch with the critters and listen to the rain.