Back to School–One Week Down

On this past Tuesday, the alarm rang as it had been all summer long. But this time I didn’t have the luxury of only tending to myself. Nope, it was the long awaited–depending on who you ask–first day of school. As with the first day of anything, nervous anticipation is imminent.

While the kids are nervously anticipating who their teachers will be, if he or she will be mean or nice, how much homework they’ll get, what friends will be in their class from last year, etc. And Lawd, if they’re in high school, they’re sure to be excited about football games, homecoming dances, parties, and, if they’re seniors–like mine–it’s a whole host of other things on their minds: prom, ACT scores, college, graduation!

As a parent, though, don’t we have our own set of nervous anticipations? A few of mine are:

1. Will I get them to school on time EVERYDAY??? If my son’s school had implemented the detention policy set forth in the attendance policy, my poor baby–and me–would have spent many Saturdays at his school instead of soccer games and cub scout activities.

2. How many days will I need to take off work to go on field trips?

3. Will my son’s teacher be one of those teachers who will pester me constantly with notes home about every little thing he does in class?

4. What major school projects will I have to help with? Like the Black history assignment my son (2nd grader, mind you) had to do: 5 biographies along with collages over winter break!

5. How much money will I spend on special occasion dresses and shoes or special clothes for school performances.

What are some of yours?