LOVE...LOVE! Enjoy! (Jen Hatmaker)

I only have one kid ... I can't imagine trying to keep up with 5! Last month it was "Hawaiian Day" and the kids were supposed to come to school in Hawaiian shirts. I am really good on keeping up on that stuff and I swear I never got a note in my folder about that! But yes, that day I felt the shame of being THAT MOM whose kid didn't wear a Hawaiian shirt! And I ask you, how the heck do you find a Hawaiian shirt for a 5yo anyway??? I always wonder if we are the only family who has two working parents or what, because the schedule on these things just kills me. Like you get something on Tuesday with instructions to create this detailed item by Thursday. Okay, teachers, you do realize that in order to get your project done my child won't have time to eat dinner or bathe?? Why don't you give it to us on Friday and we bring it back Monday?? If it's already like this in kindergarten I am dreading the upcoming years!

Haha! Amen! It's been kinda funny this last two weeks...I went from my youngest school aged kid being in high school(and living with his dad right now, so my big shock this year was not having to buy school supplies for the first time in YEARS!LOL!) to a Kindergartner. Wow. May I just say I was filled with genuine trepidation when I realized I just "re entered" the school zone...reading logs and science projects and ...ok, I am just gonna say it. That soccer mom...you know the one? He is her ONLY kid and she is the person who started the movement to get the entire Kindergarten class into cap and gown for the final end of the year program? She made cupcakes every.single.day...and when they had the program last night, her sons teacher was actually IN TEARS by the end of her "thank you speech" to this mom. No.Freaking.Kidding! Yeah...I am SO not her, you know? I am just NOT. I love Jen Hatmaker, because she isn't either! Just two weeks of witnessing the whole "School" thing again, and I am ready to home school them ALL!LOL! (too bad the state won't allow that til we adopt!I could actually DO a GOOD job of that!)

HAHAHAHAHA! Ok, well, this would have worked for me back when we still LIVED in Hawaii...but, yeah, finding a Hawaiian shirt for a 5 year old requires time to order from the internet! Don't you just hate that feeling, too? It's awful. My problem is I have already *done* those upcoming years...I *know* what is ahead...and I am suddenly rethinking my decision to have a second family(juuuust kidding, sorta! I was like "wait...I didn't think about that!"LOL!)! I have faced infants suffering from drug withdrawals, sensory issues at 2am...TWO toddlers with violent tummy viruses, and I now have two impending two year olds(and *man* is my daughter an over achiever!)...none of that has phased me. But, this? Facing school again...yeah...that did it!LOL! I wanna run away!

Perfect timing.. I'm feeling this big time right now i blame the weekly book reports. in 3rd grade, seriously? a 2 page book reports takes 1.5 HOURS. me: what happened in the story? J: I don't remember me: ok, where did it happen? J: a bunch of places me: who was in the book - besides Geronimo Stilton. (his name is in the title) J: well Thea. me: so did Thea talk to Geronimo? J: yes me: what did she say J: I can't remember :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: every darned week The only thing we really have left to do at this point is learn 3 math facts 7x7, 7x8, and 8x8 (she's mastered all the others up to 10). Neither of us are finding the energy to get these down I find myself wondering - what are the changes they'll keep her back if she can't get 7x8? Its not like she needs that on a daily basis 2 weeks left.. we can do this, right?

YES! You can do this...deeeep breath! It does seem ridiculous, doesn't it? I was just telling my niece(in school to teach) "honey, please...when you get there, keep this in mind...family life is hectic enough without you trying to orchestrate what goes on while they are home! Stay away from holidays and end of year!LOL!" And, no...they won't hold her back if she doesn't have 7X8 down! Heck...they won't even hold her back for not doing all of those book reports *just saying*!LOL! ;-) In fact, sadly, it's been my experience that until you get to the high school level, they won't hold any kid back unless YOU insist they do so. Period. And, even then...you really have to push if you feel it should happen for some reason! SO, having said that...you rock, Mama! Almost done!LOL! ;-)

I LOVED this...shared it with all my mom friends on FB. And ironically I read it just as I realized I had failed to open my DD"s folder and learn that there is a talent show scheduled for the second to last day of school...really? really? I just finished her dance recital and had breathed a huge sigh of relief. I was just hoping to ease in very slowly to summer. Arrggh. Irq, today is "boston bruins" day at school. I DID know about it as of yesterday, but when I was dropping DD off in her pink dress and saw everyone in yellow and black sportsgear....aye!!! It's like I am the character on SNL, "Mr. Short Term Memory Loss!"

To help with 8x8- "I ate (8) and I ate (8) and I got sick (6) on the 4...8 times 8=64. :D

Hey, moms, if ya'll feel like this, imagine what we TEACHERS feel like at the end of the year!!! And my district doesn't get out until JUNE 24!!!!! Shoot me now. I loved the article. So true...uncanny how she can articulate how so many of us are feeling.

love it. thank you!

I have followed her on FB for a long time. She is really funny. Always making you see the light in it all.

I cannot even imagine. This.is.why.I.am.not.a.teacher! ;-) My niece is about to start student teaching...and I do not know HOW you all make it to actually teaching! Her certification program expects her to student teach, with no pay...but, insists that she not have any other job!?!?!? How does *that* work? How is she supposed to pay rent and eat if she can't work and they won't pay her for full time student teaching? Really...I don't know how you all get *into* it...let alone do it once you get there!

Yep...ya gotta love her! ;-)

That is great!!

Hahahahaha...it is a rough time of year all the way around! We hit first day of summer and MM got SICK...like throwing up all over the kitchen SICK. Ugh. So much for "relief"...poor kid! Awww...don't beat yourself up, Mom...we are so scattered by every day pressures. I did the same thing...I even READ that he was supposed to wear a white shirt for his last day of school field trip...yep...did that occur to me when I was pulling a brown shirt out of his dresser that morning and suggesting he wear that one? Um. No. It didn't.

Love this! I'm totally there.