On the first day of school
As a young child, I used to cry when a bus went by our house in the morning because I really wanted to go to school. I started going to school at the age of 4 and enjoyed it for years to come. It was a private school and we wore uniforms, so there was no new outfit. But each year about a month before school started my Mom would start picking up the essentials - new socks, shoes and underwear and a new bookbag along with new pencils, pens and other school supplies. The school was on a beautiful campus and I made lots of friends. I loved that school and I loved going to school. I was absolutely heartbroken when I had to stop going to that school because we couldn’t afford it any more.
I went to a Catholic high school. I hated it. I didn’t like going to that school on any given day, but I especially hated the first day of school there. For three years straight I’d dread the first day of school, because it brought the realization that I had another long miserable year to go. Once again I was in a school wearing uniforms but here they were pants or skirts rather than dresses.
Now I’m a Mom with two boys in school. I cried the first day I sent TJ to school. Yep, I was one of THOSE moms. He’s now in middle school and growing up quickly. He loves the first day of school because they do nothing. He says they don’t do homework and they don’t do classwork, they basically just spend the day figuring out their schedules, meeting teachers, talking with friends and eating lunch. I cried again the first day CJ went to school. (Consistent, aren’t I?) CJ loves school no matter what day it is. He actually has an extended school year, so he’s in school year round except for August.
The boys and I did a little shopping for back to school yesterday. TJ now has 6 new shirts and a new pair of skate shoes. He liked one of his new shirts so much he couldn’t wait until school started and put it on today before I could say anything.He still needs new underwear but apparently there’s an issue there, probably the one involving not wanting to discuss if the underwear you have now is too tight and squeezing your privates with your Mom in public. I’m not finished shopping for CJ yet, I’m still looking for a couple of new pair of pants. He’s still in pullups so we try to keep him in pants without a button or zipper, but since he’s now a size 6 or 7 most pants don’t have stretchy waists so they’re hard to find.
This article is part of a Parent Bloggers Network Blog Blast. This Blog Blast is sponsored by Hanes. I’ve learned in my surfing that Hanes now makes wedgie free underwear. What I haven’t learned is how to ask my son if he sufferes frequent wedgie syndrome without laughing. They just don’t cover that on the website.
