Kindergarten Mom Lessons

Here’s a tip for you parents out there with children who are not yet school age.  The start and end of the school year is crazy busy.

At the beginning of the year you have the sign ups- Girl Scouts, soccer, dance etc.- all gearing up for the upcoming school year.  This typically also brings calendars, schedules, and money.  Plus, with school starting there’s the school calendars: a lunch calendar, a holiday calendar, a reading calendar, a specials calendar (to keep track of PE, Music and Library/Art rotation).  It seemed we got a new calendar each day.  Plus you have to buy school supplies, and then the events start- ice cream social, meet the teacher, parent meetings.

Once the school year is rolling you get into a routine.  Meredith’s school is pretty active, so we had several things going on throughout the year with book sales, art shows, movie nights, walk with pride day, walk/bike to school, but it was spaced out and fairly manageable.

Shortly after spring break though, I was done.  Checking out.  I helped with the Halloween party and led that in the classroom, I was in charge of the Valentine’s party, I help out in the classroom and help in the office 2 times/month.  I was ready for summer vacation.  I’m tired of sending in cereal boxes and toilet paper rolls.  No, I can’t come in from 10-10:45 smack in the middle of my work day for the writing celebration.  I don’t want to volunteer to bring in another snack.  Really, Q & U are getting married and the kids are to dress as if they were going to a wedding, complete with please supply Q themed snacks?  That, my friends was my last straw, and I’m all about themed snacks.

The end of the year is proving to be as busy if not busier than the beginning.  I’m prepping for:  Parent Picnic lunch, Enrichment Day, Field Day, Field Trip, a walk to the library, recital, Girl Scout picnic.  Plus several birthday parties thrown in for good measure.  

I’ve rallied a bit and am putting on a happy face for these last 13 days.  I try to remember that kindergarten only comes around once (hopefully!), that it’s important to be involved in the school, that the teachers are just trying to make it fun, that these special activities are probably most of what the kids will remember in the long run, and that the summer can be pretty much calendar free.