It's back to school week.
What does that mean exactly?
Not a lot.
Bedtimes are now offcially shaved back to a reasonable hour. We get to see how much our little guy has grown since the last time he actually wore shoes. Meals have to be planned. Homework time has to be planned. Cheetoes and Capri Suns must be purchased. And at some point I'm gonna have to teach him how to throw a punch and how the only way to get girls to pay attention to you is to treat them like dirt.
I'm kidding about the last two.
Or am I?
Hmmmm?
This year he starts in a new class, the accelerated learning class which he didn't quite make but everyone figures he'll blend in. I went to the parent teacher night and even though we are two days from Day 1, some parents are already complaining about having to juggle homework and soccer practice. One woman in particular seemed so overwhelmed by it she was on the edge of panic.
The teacher, whom I like very much, just kinda shrugged and went on to the next part of her powerpoint presentation.
My feeling is that if you didn't want to help build a Mission, then, well, I only have one word for you.
Abstinence.
(Adoption could have been another, but considering the amount of weekdays she mentioned as soccer days, I can only assume the Birth Control is a sin.)
But the bigger point, is that YES, the fourth grade is where the kids start learning Californian History.
We will be taking field trips to Gold Country, and building models of missions, and hopefully we can get all the way up to the Reagan years and the teacher can use New Math to explain trickle down economics.
They get to learn science stuff too.
They get to work in the dirt and manage a pot farm.
The teacher also mentioned that there will be a Rock project as well.
I almost asked if it was going to be focused on Classic or Progressive, but this was not my room.
The thing I didn't mention was the supplies.
There are so many supplies needed.
Like soooooo many.
What struck me as interesting is that this class is progressing to paperless.
The kids will have individual laptops, their own closed circuit email addresses and will be doing their homework online.
Cool right?
So why exactly did I find myself standing in my kitchen counter sharpening 24 Ticonderoga #2 pencils. I have purchased and sharpened, starting in the first grade now to the fourth, nearly Ticonderoga #2 pencils for school use, and yet, and yet, The one I use at my desk, the one I write with, has been around since before my son was even born.
There is no chance on earth he has gone through 72 of those things in a scant 3 years. I am starting to think there is a secondary market for slightly used school supplies that the Disctrict is using to fund nitrogen boosters for their fourth grade pot farms.
And not only do I have to buy the things, I have to sharpen them too.
Which, now that I think about it.
I don't really mind
cause, well, you know,
Tradition.
The first day of school cannot be achieved without at least once getting the soft smokey scent of freshly sharpened pencils in your nose. The feel of a real wooden pencil and not those cheap springy things with the soft lead. The green and silver nib holding onto the dusty pink eraser. These are the first signs of Autumn and the circle of life simply cannot spin without them.
Tune in Tomorrow for a Special Edition Throwback Thursday where I'll talk about my own first day of the 4th Grade.
Or, what I can remember at least.
Or, what I feel like making up on the spot.
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