Immunizations, proof of residency and ACT results please.

Ok. Here is my way belated TFT. Yeah I'm a big slacker...so what?

Peyton did a 2 year stint in preschool with an amazing, open, warm and loving teacher. He LOVED school and was sooo excited to start the big K this year.

Shortly before school started he did a week of migraines. I believe r/t anxiety mostly. The day of his orientation he was so nervous he was ill. His teacher was welcoming enough, pretty and young. I found her to be rather flat and patronizing but I chalked it up to a bad first impression. Peyton seemed to relax.

He came home the first day and cried. He begged me to never make him go back. For the first month he cried nightly. He never once mentioned his teacher. It was at least 3 weeks before he could even recall her name.

In his folder: worksheet after worksheet after worksheet.

Thursday was his parent teacher conference. I wasn't sure what to expect. She greet Mark and I and I could tell she had no clue who we were. Again...flat. She opened up Peyton's folder and the first thing she showed us: Mark and I looked at each other like WTF???? Peyton is a meticulous colorer. He HATES to go outside the lines. He will rip up his paper if he does. Here was a picture he had literally SCRIBBLED!!!!!

Then she pulls out his*are you ready for this* JOURNAL! Yeah a freaking journal. "He should be writing sentences that are meaningful, not just words." I was too stunned to say a word.

I offered to volunteer in the classroom. She politely declined.

I left the office thinking : She thinks my kid is a dumb ass. My smart, precocius little boy.

My friend Andrea and I were trading shifts watching the kids during the conference. She went next to hear Hannah's progress. When she walked out:

Me- Hate her?
Andrea-Oh yeah.

Later that night I mentioned to a friend about the journal...Peyton heard a bit and said "so I don't care".

At bedtime though he dissolved into a pool of tears. This FUCKING JOURNAL IS GIVING MY KID AN ULCER!!!

My question/thought is: when did K become so academic? Why are we putting such stress on 5 year olds? Is this normal? Or is she just clueless? Am I clueless?

Big wheels keep on turning

Ever since Peyton could talk he has asked questions. Not just one or two but sometimes hundreds a day. Some basic, some complex, some annoying or even down right concerning. Here is an example of life with Peyton and mind you these questions were asked in a one hour time frame while getting ready or school.

1. 1. What time is it?
2. 2. What day is it?
3. 3. When will it be Saturday?
4. 4. Do I have school today?
5. Why do I have to go to school?
6. Can I play a video game first?
7. Why do I have to eat breakfast?
8. What is protein?
9. Why is it brain food?
10. Will my brain shrink if I don't eat it?
11. Well if you don't eat eggs why do I have to?
12. Why do you call them chicken abortions?
13. Why can't I wear my Green Day shirt again today?
14. Why won't you just cut all the tags out of my clothes?
15. Why do I have to brush my teeth again? I just brushed them last night?
16. Why can't we just live here like animals?
17. Did you pack my lunch? I said I wanted to buy.
18. What bus do I ride home?
19. Are we late yet?
20. Can we listen to Linkin Park?
21. Why can't we listen to Linkin Park at school?
22. What will happen if my name gets moved over today?
23. Why do we have to lock the door?
24. Why can't I ride in the front seat?
25. Why can't I walk to school?

I was going to carry this out to the at least 50 questions he asked this morning but my head hurts already. These are the easy ones, mostly related to complaints as he is NOT a morning person. At night his wheels really get turning and we get deep questions, about God, death, being born, justice ect. Does any one else have a kid like this? How do you deal with relentless streams of questions?

With this school year I do solemnly vow:

Another school year is just days away. Amonte is truly in high school now, entering the 10th grade. Peyton is starting Kindergarten (I may get electrocuted from the tears I am weeping on my keyboard) and Cade is off to preschool. Most people make New Years resolutions, I make back to school vows. These come out of my failures from prior school years. This year with 3 totally different schedules and 3 totally different schools, add in work, sports and medical issues and I'm sure my vow list will be monstrous next year. With this school year I do solemnly vow:

1. To not wake my kids up late because I was on the Internet all night.
2. To actually feed them something that resembles nutrition at the kitchen table and not in the car on the way to school.
3. To have things ready the night before...not to wake in the morning and realize I left all their laundry in the washer.
4. To actually read the calendar sent home by the school, therefore never again missing a conference, snack, me day, field trip ect.
5. I will bring them to school on the right day and not on a snow day.
6. I will allow family projects to be just that and not turn them into a craft competition with the other moms.
7. I will not feel guilty for buying a snack instead of baking it...at least I remembered it.
8. I will not send them to school in their pajamas when it is not pajama day.
9. I will instruct my children carefully not to discuss my dear friends career/life as a drag queen.
10. And lastly I will try to enjoy every moment, including the tears over homework, broken hearts and sticking my hand in the bottom of a trash filled back pack to find a permission slip.

With all my heart, a bottle of Tylenol and a quart of premade Mudslides I do solemnly vow to survive this school year with the majority of my mental faculties intact and no permanent psychological damage to my children.