PS, I love You

Last year I scaled back big time on my volunteering, in part so I could take a bigger part in being a part of our school community. I joined the school council, took over the greening efforts at the school, started working for the Nutrition For Learning snack bin program within the school and amped up the hours I worked at our Nutrition For Learning Breakfast Club at the church across the street from the school.

Working with the kids in our school has by far, been the most rewarding volunteer job of my life.

I love walking through the halls and hearing "Hi Nicolas' Mom!" I love getting a chance to peek at my children during school time when they don't know I'm watching. I love being on a first name basis with so many staff. I really love when I work in the staff room because I get to overhear teachers talking about techniques they use to help kids "get it".

But most especially, I love walking through the hallways after all the kids have gone home, before the custodians (bless their souls), have swept up and finding stuff like this:

Because Moms, you are awesome. 

Please tell me

that not all the parents have already prepared perfect little bento boxes of smiley foods

or labelled all the water bottles, containers, shoes and jackets.

Please tell me that somewhere out there some other Mom is searching frantically for the leftover labels from last year

and wondering why there is one shoe missing when she could have sworn it was still attached to the other brand new shoe.

Please tell me that somewhere there's a Dad who still hasn't got his kids back on the school year bedtime routine

and hasn't even started school shopping.

Please tell me I'm not the only one.

Christmas Concert Musings

Holy crap, these parents are fiercely protective over their seats.

Keeners show up almost an hour early.

The angry kids who obviously don't want to be on stage make the show 100% better. 

Don't sit beside the grandma who comments on the wardrobe choice of EVERY SINGLE CHILD who steps on stage.

Don't sit beside the grandma who can't remember if her twin granddaughters are in grade one or two."Is that them? No wait, is that them? Caroooooo-line? Is that you?"

DO offer to take pictures for the gramps who can't figure out how to turn on the camera. It'll save you the grief of hearing him say "Well I think it worked that time" over and over again.

Risers people, risers. When the stage is the same height as the chair seats, parents can't see their kids who are sitting on the stage.

Don't sit in the front row. You may want to see your little bean up close but the spit flying from the mouths of babes every time they say "Grinch" is enough to keep you full of flu germs for the next 12 months.

Your fancy camera/iPad/Playbook is lovely.... but when you want to tape the entire show, move to the back because now every parent behind you can no longer see.

Sweet mother, is it the parents or the kids who are stinking up the place?

For heavens sakes, if you're bringing a 1 year old to an hour and a half long concert, bring a bloody toy, soother or cheerios to keep them busy.




And thank you teachers, for doing something with my kids that I could never, ever accomplish.