I can't even tell you how much fun I had at lunch today with L. Today I was invited to a 5th grade "Mothers Day Tea", and they put on quite a production. The kids weren't "allowed" to sit down, instead the mom's got to sit in their chairs and review the array of poems that had been created for us, then they served us pink lemonade and pink cupcakes. While we enjoyed our treat, each child took turns introducing their mom and naming one thing that made their mom's special. There was lots of "my mom never gets mad at me, and my mom always smiles". I got the "my mom is special because she helps me with my book report" That got a laugh, because the kids have a big end of year book report due tomorrow and yes, we worked on it long and often over the past few days to get it perfect, so that was fresh in everyone's minds. Later each person read a poem, and there were lots of sniffles and tears - they were just sooo sweet, these kids really do know how to turn on the charm when they want to.
Something else kinda neat/special was that there was another mom there who had a two-ish year old Asian child with her. While we were waiting to be escorted to our kids rooms I kept wondering if that was the little girl who had recently been adopted by the family of a boy in L's class - turns out it was. Little "E" was clearly the life of the party and the kids couldn't get enough of her, she was the focus of all attention for the under 11 year old crowd, and that little girl was having a grand time - so was her brother who was obviously proud to introduce his new l'il sis to his classmates.
You know I can't help but feel bad for the 8 to 10 students who were there whose parents, for whatever reason, were unable to attend. I'm quite certain there's valid reasons, or at least I hope there's good reasons they have not to go, it really does mean so much to the kids to have you visit, and I always think that one day not too far down the road it will be an embarrassment if I show up in class, so I'm going to go while I'm still invited. :-)
RE MIA parents. Before I married your sweet brother and moved "to the city" haha, it was easier to get to school for events. Now, if there is an event in the middle of the day, I have to take a vacation day to attend. With almost an hour each way commute, it makes no sense to leave and come back. I imagine there are moms and dads with jobs that don't allow much time off and certainly not in the middle of the day. You would hope that a grandparent or aunt or uncle would step in but many are not as lucky as we, knock on wood. I get the "so n so's mom is ALWAYS at the school" well sonsos mom doesn't work 10 hour days outside the home either you little snotbag.
I think it's great that Libi recognizes that one of your best qualities is...you actually care about her school work. So many parents have elected the school as their kids' sole educator instead of just their partner in it. mmm now all i can think of is pink cupcakes. yum
Posted by: Lisa | May 07, 2008 at 04:36 PM