My eldest child will enter the world of public education next week. He is really scared. It's really cute. But it makes me really worried. Today we went shopping for his school supplies. I was so excited. You know, "bouquets of sharpened pencils." But it was a disaster. Suppose it was an omen for Cameron's first day of kindergarten? Or worse, his first year of school? I'm really not this type of mother.
Nearly half of the supplies on the list were sold out. (Bad timing on my part, all other school districts start before ours.) A few items on the list were not described in a way that allowed me to know just exactly what I was looking for. We did manage to leave with the large bottle of hand sanitizer, a box of Kleenex and two boxes of crayons. Unfortunately I had to buy all name brand because the generics were all sold out. School supplies ain't cheap.
This frustration was all compounded by a tired eight-month old and a hungry three year old Once again bad timing. I'm sure I've read a thousand times in PARENTS magazine not to take your kids shopping during lunch/nap time. Then there was also the five year old with that nervous energy and expensive taste. Really? A lunch box for $19.99? And what if Cameron takes a cartoon lunch box to school only to discover cartoon lunch boxes are not cool. Because, they're not. Well, that is, unless you are in elementary school. I have to keep reminding myself to think like a five year old.
Richard tells me that I wouldn't be disappointed so often if I didn't have such high expectations. My original plan was to go out, just me and Cameron, and do his school shopping. I could put his fears to rest over an ice cream cone, just the two of us. Then I was made aware that we needed to bring school supplies to the classroom open house, tomorrow. Unfortunately due to lack of inventory Cameron's contribution to classrom supplies will be missing half the required items until next week. I wasn't about to tackle another store given the circumstances. If his teacher has a problem with that, I'll consider homeschool.
Not really.
5 comments:
Jo, what does Cameron need? I always buy extra supplies because they are cheapest this time of year. My kids always got excited for kindergarten once we got there and saw their friends. Then, I was the one crying when the class went inside... not my kindergartener!
Extra points for the obscure movie reference. I can't believe Cam's already that old.
It all works out in the end. And you will not be the only ones that don't have all their supplies. And half the time you get what is on the list and get to school and they need something else, or didn't need this or that. I think Aleena is in his class. She too is excited, yet nervous.
I had no idea school supplies were so hard to find! Thanks for the heads up!
Chin up about the cost of school supplies: it's even more here. I paid $70 for EACH of my 3 school aged children this year for supplies alone (reams of paper, head phones being some of the required items). yikes. add in some new lunch boxes (they don't last very long - 2 yrs is our record), new backpacks (bri was using an old one of mine - like from high school, stockton's was a $5 one that he has used the last 4 years and the zipper is now broken), whew, anyway, gear up for more expense every year! good times
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