School Days, School Days!

Yesterday I was contemplating talking about the first day of school - how it went for the girls, the chaos and agony of school supply lists and the odd calm that's come over me when I do lunch making prep.  However, as you can see by yesterday's abruptly ending post, I had other things in mind that I wanted to talk about before bringing on the school post.

First off....It's so hard to believe that god, was it three years ago(?) that I posted this lil post about the Diva's first day of kindergarten!  She started the third grade on Monday with a male teacher!  Perhaps it's the schools I went to, but I never had one till high school. Mr. Banks, 9th grade US Govt.  Ugh...why do I even remember that? Anyhow - we met him on meet the teacher night and he seems like a nice enough sort of bloke - last last year's teacher, I think he's an older one in regards to years on the job.  It's going to prove interesting how the school year turns out.

If a 3rd grader wasn't crazy enough, the Elfling is in Jr. High!  Omg, I feel so old just typing that....but then on Monday, I was talking to an old friend and bloody hell - she has a junior in high school! Regardless - the move from an intermediate school to junior high is a big thing...a bit like going from the county jail to Leavenworth.  You don't even have to ask the Elfling if that's her opinion, it's a bit of mine! I would think the point of 7th and 8th grade is to prepare them for increasing Independence as they get into high school and beyond.  Surprisingly, the dress code is MORE strict than in elementary and intermediate grades.  They're not allowed use backpacks during the school day, once you sit somewhere at lunch, you're stuck there till released to go to class and no going to your locker right when you get to school.  You have to wait around doing...who knows what, where (ok, this bad on my part, as I haven't gotten exact details, beyond outside).  I don't know if this really drives home how...I don't know...reined in these kids are but some of these thins just sound really asinine.  Are all kids this age seen as monsters? 

The Elfling's first few days have been spent struggling over getting into her locker - it's got a lock built in and I'm beginning to wonder if this is a lefty issue she's having.  Yesterday went better as she was able to get it open twice.  I hope it's just stress of a new place, new people all around and nerves getting the better of her.  She's been stuck near cretins at lunch and yakkity assed girls in class. Despite her overwhelming negativity to the situation, I've heard glimmers of hope from her - interesting people in her class and perhaps even interest in her classes, so we'll see.

Part of going to Leavenworth, of course, was getting her supplied for the stay.  What a bloody pain in the arse.  We're talking seven teachers with seven ideas that they need full supply lists for one class each...i mean one teacher alone wanted something like 72 pencils!  Mein gott!!  I think they're going to build a wing to the school or something with them.  I get the need for school supplies but why does one teacher want my daughter to have three bags of red pens?  What really pissed me off was all these things I bought?  How much came home with the declaration - "I didn't even need this crap,ugh!"  Poor kid...no backpack and she was lugging said crap all damn day. 

This year the girls seem pretty keen on bringing their lunches.  For the first days of school, I think it's a smart move as with all the chaos these days can have, at least they know they've got lunch.  The first day report on the matter proved me right - the Elfling said the lines were long so she was happy to have something yummy from home.  The Diva sounds like she's got the last lunch of the day - who knows what's left by then!  I'm kind of jealous, actually.  Today they're feasting on leftover pasta and sauce packed (with grumpy love from a tired daddy) in their thermoses...what do I have?  My standard carrot sticks and pb crackers.  *laughs*  Ah well - they're calling to me, so I'm going to nibble while the phone is quiet.