and furthermore
First, this is why I love Bam
Second, whining continues.
I have to go to a school meeting in about ten minutes--High School. Last night I had to go to Middle School for a meeting.
I hated school then, I hate school now. Teachers I generally like now, except 80.4 percent of the middle school teachers. These days it's the huge warehouse place I hate. I swear I have to carry a paper bag and wear a rubber band on my wrist.
I keep having to go into classrooms because teachers want me to participate in my children's education. I do! I do! Here's how I do it:
1. I lie. I tell them homework is important.
2. I omit the truth. I don't tell them how much I hate(d) school. Not often, anyway. And almost never in front of their father.
3. I make them go on beautiful days. Even though I want to yank them from class and play.
Today's meeting is all about Boy1's Beautiful Future. The guidance counselor is going to tell me the boy should go to a "good" college because he can get into one. I'm going to say thanks. If asked, I'll put in my two cents: he can't go somewhere expensive and he shouldn't go somewhere too competitive. The boy has enough internal push and an overdeveloped sense of competition, thank you. He doesn't need any pressure from the outside.
I wish that Mr.--excuse me--DR. Grad Degree from Harvard Overachiever would go to this meeting instead of me. He cares deeeeeply about education--but he's got to go spread the flu amongst his students.
Boy1 also wishes Dr Overachiever was going instead.
Second, whining continues.
I have to go to a school meeting in about ten minutes--High School. Last night I had to go to Middle School for a meeting.
I hated school then, I hate school now. Teachers I generally like now, except 80.4 percent of the middle school teachers. These days it's the huge warehouse place I hate. I swear I have to carry a paper bag and wear a rubber band on my wrist.
I keep having to go into classrooms because teachers want me to participate in my children's education. I do! I do! Here's how I do it:
1. I lie. I tell them homework is important.
2. I omit the truth. I don't tell them how much I hate(d) school. Not often, anyway. And almost never in front of their father.
3. I make them go on beautiful days. Even though I want to yank them from class and play.
Today's meeting is all about Boy1's Beautiful Future. The guidance counselor is going to tell me the boy should go to a "good" college because he can get into one. I'm going to say thanks. If asked, I'll put in my two cents: he can't go somewhere expensive and he shouldn't go somewhere too competitive. The boy has enough internal push and an overdeveloped sense of competition, thank you. He doesn't need any pressure from the outside.
I wish that Mr.--excuse me--DR. Grad Degree from Harvard Overachiever would go to this meeting instead of me. He cares deeeeeply about education--but he's got to go spread the flu amongst his students.
Boy1 also wishes Dr Overachiever was going instead.
I feel your pain...
ReplyDeleteIt's difficult to balance the honesty in 'wanting to instil good values/set a good example' for your offspring when you know that most of it is a big fat lie!
I'm not sure what I want to instill in the boy, that's the problem. He's got a very strong work ethic from his dad. I'm thinkin my example should be that of Binky the Clown. (referencing the old Roz Chast cartoon) On the other hand, I AM the mother, not a friend.
ReplyDeleteblah blah blah.
Kate, hating blogger at the moment.
I love this post. Made me laugh. I can totally identify with it. I say, "Lie to the teachers." It's just like when we were in high school. Nothing's changed. We lied to them then. We can do it now.
ReplyDeleteGeez, Kate, you're going above & beyond with those 3 things. :)
ReplyDeleteMy boy #2 is the one with the "beautiful future"--his teachers uniformly raved about him, and he's motivated & everything. Boy #1 is a classic underachiever. Smart as hell but doesn't see the point in school. It's reeeaaallly hard to motivate him when I agree with most of his arguments. *sigh*
Good luck. I've got to vacate the computer now and convince Boy #1 to use it to write an essay for AP Chemistry.