Back To School

(This started as a comment at Jessica Gottlieb's blog and then I realized that it was a good beginning for a post.)

My kids started school last week and it has been one giant adventure.

My daughter is in kindergarten where she and her friends are busy trying to decide who is going to marry whom. Heavy negotiations are taking place.

Her older brother's response to all this is "girls are weird" and the astute observation, "moms are just bigger girls aren't they."

I smile and tell him that he has no idea, but one day he will.

In between all this my son wants to know why everyone else went to Hawaii or somewhere else and we didn't. I laugh and tell him poverty builds character.

Fortunately he shrugs his shoulder and is content to resume playing with Legos.

Last night I asked him if his class saw the president's speech. He said no so I guess that I don't have to worry about him being brainwashed. But he did say that they are supposed to discuss something about Obama, but he is not sure what.

And then he looks at me and says that I was right, third grade is harder than second but not impossible.

The dark haired beauty started kindergarten last week so she has plenty to add about all of this. In addition to the stories about the boys she has had plenty to tell me. She is ecstatic about having homework and makes a point of showing me her homework folder every day. She is so excited about it she wants to know why she doesn't have homework on the weekend.

I laugh and say that it won't be long before she does. She doesn't know why I am laughing and is a bit miffed by it. I give her a big hug and tell her not to worry. And then I look into those dark eyes and ask if she'll stay five a bit longer.

She agrees and tells me that she will stay five until she turns six and that I'll just have to deal with it. Oy, I love this girl but she is determined to kill me. I know now that the preteen years and beyond are going to be interesting.

Late at night I go online and check out the school's new website. They just rolled this puppy out and I am impressed. They have done a nice job with it and I can see that it is going to make a great resource.

There is a calendar with a list of events and each of their teachers logs homework and school projects on it as well. It makes it really easy to keep up with things and the digital photos that they upload from the classrooms are pretty cool too.

It all feels good and at the moment the private school dilemma is at rest but it won't be long before that particular monster comes out of the closet looking for food again.

In the interim all is well. They are happy and we are happy and sometimes that is all you can ask for.