Friday, August 24, 2012

'Tis the Season!

I'm not talking about Fa la la la las or Decking the Halls!  I'm talking about pencils and notebooks and erasers!  Back to School Time!  I love school supplies - always have!  I have been enticed by all of the commercial for the penny and quarter items.  I am building up a stash of extra composition books, index cards and markers.  Now, I'm not hoarding them like those shows you see on TV - just a little shopping bag with items I know that the kids will need throughout the school year. It is not like a notebook will expire!  I remember last winter buying my son index cards for his word study and paying close to $2, I picked up two packs at Target last week for $.48 each! Now is the time to buy them, while they are all on sale.  Also, pick up supplies that your little ones that may not be in school yet will use, like markers and crayons.  I do need to get some more pencils and crayons.  You can never have enough of those!  There is something so great about a pack of freshly sharpened pencils!  This year, for the first year, I did buy the pre-sharpened ones.  (Last year my husband broke the pencil sharpener at his office trying to get them all sharpened in time so I did want to avoid that this year!)

My two older children will start school on Monday.  My twins will go back the day after Labor Day.  This morning the older two had their classroom open houses.  We were able to go to the school, check out the classrooms, meet their teachers, see friends and drop off all of the school supplies.  My children each had a list sent home with required school supplies that are needed for their classroom. The list is very specific.  For my daughter's kindergarten class we were asked to bring in 10 Elmer's Jumbo Glue Sticks.  I have been losing sleep over this - I did not buy Elmer's, I did not buy Jumbo and I did not buy 10!  I bought 15 of the Big Lots brand glue stick (they were three sticks for $.24 - you can't beat that), but will my daughter be shunned for sending in and using generic glue sticks?  Will the glue sticks, stick?   I was speaking with another mom this morning at the open house and we both commented that when we were growing up, we never had to do this. We just showed up for school and that was that. Of course, we had our own backpack, lunch box and trapper keeper (remember those!). But our parents did not have to send in tissues or wipes or hundreds of boxes of crayons!

The beginning of the school year also means meeting new people. New teachers, some new kids and of course their parents.  While it is always great to make new friends and get to know the other parents in your child's class, I am very tired of being asked, "are they all yours" and hearing, "boy, you have a lot of kids", and my all time favorite "how do you do it?".  I know it is hard for my older kids, the attention should be on them and it pains me when adults say to them , "wow, is that your entourage?" or "you brought the whole crew, huh?"   Now, some people are nice and just plain curious.  But, the snarky comments and tones we can definitely all do without. Especially, when they are directed towards my kids.   I am very tempted to have a shirt made that says "YES, THEY ARE ALL MINE!"  But, I'm afraid people will think I'm talking about my boobs and not my kids!  So, I smile and nod my head and move right along.....with my kids following in a nice line!

Have a great weekend!

4 comments:

  1. Your 'Yes They are all Mine' shirt and the different interpretations made me laugh. People ask me if the kids are all mine a lot too. I hope your kids have a nice start to the school year. It is nice that you get to spend some extra time with your twins before they start school. I hope you will have a little time for yourself once everyone is in school.

    : 0 ) Theresa (Capri + 3)

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    1. Thanks Theresa! I also get a lot "are you sure they are twins, they don't look alike!".

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  2. I'm such a geek because I love back to school sales. I can't wait for my twins to be old enough to need school supplies.

    And why do people feel the need to be snarky and spread their own personal unhappiness? I never get that. Especially the ones that do it around children

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    1. Hi Olusola! How old are your twins? You can still buy the school supplies for around the house - I like to get my pens, pencils and post-its when they are on sale!

      I wish I had an answer - I understand that some people are curious - but it drives me crazy1 Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

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