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Tuesday, September 13, 2011

School

Just because most of the pictures I take with my phone never see the light of day, here are a few recent ones, mostly from last night at our neighborhood’s annual “meet and greet”. It was a lovely evening.

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So fall is here and school has started, for Gus and I that means Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) classes have commenced, and we went to our first “toddler” class yesterday. I’m bummed that it seems none of the ladies I got to know last year in class have stuck with Mondays. Actually it surprises me (and annoys me a little) that a few of them have contacted me to ask if they’ll be seeing us again on Wednesday, and others have left me nice Facebook comments being all, “See you Wednesday!” Nice gesture, thanks for thinking about us, but no. We’re in Monday’s class. I work Tuesday through Thursday. I have always made this clear. That’s why we were in Monday class, WITH YOU, last year.

It shouldn’t bother me, but I just don’t get where the confusion comes from. I sat with these ladies in a circle talking about mom stuff and the elusive work/life/childrearing balance every Monday morning for about 9 months last year. We aren’t best friends, we don’t talk about everything, but jeez, my only days home are Mondays and Fridays, THIS people know. Just like I know the one chick’s husband is a podiatrist and she has become obsessed with running over the past six months, and the blonde perky lady with an Australian accent is from New Zealand and she has two daughters and a son, and that other lady’s little girl was a preemie born at 30 weeks, and that one girl talks loudly and rudely to her neighbor while other people are speaking, and that girl’s kids are always sick and believe it or not, suck at sleeping even more than Gus.

Whatever, it just feels like that classic high school “thing” where I pay attention to other people, I know who they are, I remember the things they say. I know them, but they don’t know me, you know? I always felt that way about the popular kids in high school. Though mommy-hood and parenting groups and all that can be a bit like high school, if you haven’t noticed, so whatever. It really shouldn’t bother me, but I guess I’m admitting it does.

Anyway… this means we know no one in our new class, but it doesn’t seem like anyone else really knows each other either, so this could be good. Clean slate. It really is a new school year, new teacher, new classmates, starting fresh.

Did I mention it’s all boys? Nine two year old boys. Goodness. As you might expect, I was exhausted after our hour and a half class yesterday, because that’s a lot of two year olds all up in one room for the first time scoping out a bunch of new-to-them toys.

Gus and I are both so far removed from all things “school” and routine, it will be an interesting experience. Circle time. Singing songs. Crafts. Sharing. Sitting at a table for more than 45 seconds to eat a snack.

I am hopeful for a fun little adventure each week. And I am getting pumped about the fact that for an hour every Monday I get to go sit in a quiet room and talk to other moms of toddlers and drink coffee while someone else helps to teach my son things like shapes and colors and days of the week, and maybe even to be a little civilized. Though I dare say that last one would probably be asking too much of my little guy. ;)

I am hoping none of the moms are a-holes, but again, that is probably me asking too much of the program. Every moms group needs at least one or two of them, I suppose, keeps things interesting.

3 comments:

Berbs33 said...

Love it - so much of life is little high school and as it much as it shouldn't matter it always seems to hurt! You an awesome mother and if they didn't want to know that and get to know you and your son then screw them! As for Gus, he is civilized!! You are too funny, I laughed out loud when I read that line... he is as civilized as a two year should be! Hope you make some new friends in your Monday class and enjoy that hour to kid free!

Lisa said...

Sorry to hear that you're reliving some high school days. Hopefully you have some really cool people in your class this time around and you won't even miss women that clearly don't pay attention.

A kid-free hour where you get to talk about your kid and share experiences sounds like a wonderful thing for you! Hope you both enjoy it!

Erin said...

I totally get how you feel... I get that way even about blogging sometimes, feeling like I'm always paying WAY more attention to people than they are to me, but I'm sure other people feel the same way.

I've always been intrigued by ECFE but our nights and weekends are always so packed I don't really know when we'd fit it in. We did a music class when Annie was about 8-10 months and it was kind of lame because she just didn't care - it'd be interesting to try again now... but I probably won't. The whole lazy thing and all that :)