Two Words: Who Cares?
Being the mother of a boy is a little difficult sometimes. Being a Type A mother with a boy is very difficult. School starts on Monday, and I am making lists, getting supplies together, sorting through the closet and figuring out lunches and schedules and haircuts.
I remember the week before junior high school starting, the nervous excitement, wondering who would be in my classes, worrying that I would have lunch with my friends, and trying to decide what to wear. My son? He’s just pissed that I mentioned school with a week left of summer vacation.
“Hey, are you ready for school to start? Have you decided if you want to take your lunch the first day or eat in the cafeteria?”
“I dunno.”
“Well, I wonder if you will have lunch with all of the friends you ate with last year?”
“Maybe.”
“I wonder if you’ll know anyone in your classes or there will all be new people?”
“Guess I’ll find out the first day.”
BINGO! More than 3 words! It’s a very good thing that I have a boy, because if I had a daughter, she would be so neurotic and worrisome that she would probably develop an ulcer before she starts high school.
Eighth grade. Ah, the memories. I thought I could at least generate some excitement from bringing up the band. My son plays the drums and this year they get to play at the junior high football games.
“Hey, this year you get to participate in the football games and play during half time. Plus, you get to sit in the stands and play during the game. That’s cool, huh? Are you excited?”
“Uh, yeah. What did you say?”
I think my job is over. He’s ready to skip high school and get married.
August 25th, 2007 at 7:42 am
It’s funny, but every year about this time I still get the old back-to-school anxiety and I haven’t had to sit in a classroom for 25 years. It’s a lot of pressure and expectation to dump on a kid, both socially and academically. Some of it is passed off under the guise of ‘fun’, but even that is stressful. I don’t miss that at all…
Then, in college, something clicked and just the opposite happened.. my parents thought I would never get around to finally graduating.
August 27th, 2007 at 7:23 am
I’ll trade you MY eighth grade diva daughter for your son.