Schooling Mom ~~ Is this bullying?

Well, we're on week 3 of school around our house.  Things are going better than expected.  Ren is getting along really well at school and making lots of new friends.  All of which are girls.  He's constantly telling us about this pretty little girl, or that pretty girl.  I think I *may* have a ladies man on my hands.  Help me now...lol!

A though, is still struggling.  She came home the other day and complained she was bored.  I ask her why she felt that way and she said "because I already know all the stuff we keep doing Mommy".  Uh oh.  Not a good way to begin your school career.  Thinking it is boring.  I do know that starting this week, things are going to change a little.  She is going to start some new things, so hopefully this "boring" phase will end.

The real reason for the title though, is she has been coming home complaining about a little boy.  According to her, "he's mean".  He throws away her things, literally.  He grabbed her hand and took off her silly band ring and threw it away.  What?!?  She also said he's pushed her down in the hallway, throws her art work (that is in her cubby at school) in the garbage and says naughty things to her.  I ask her if she was mean to him and she said "no Mommy.  I'm nice to everyone because that's how to be a friend".  Thankfully that lesson has sunk in!  I have ask if she has said anything to her teacher and she said "yes".  I then ask if he ever gets put into the time out area for doing these things and she said "sometimes". 

My question to you wise parents, is this bullying?  Do I say something to her teacher as well?  Could there be more to the story than this that she isn't telling me about?  A is a very helpful, bright girl and in the past week she's been moody (although I think she's still adjusting to school in general), and just not her chatty, happy self.  Can this really start in Kindergarten?  Am I reading into this too much?  Advice please and thank you!

Schooling Mom 201.A --Lost things

Photo from www.semillasnackbags.com

 

It should be no surprise to anyone that I adore Semilla.  If you follow me on Twitter, or FB or even on here you've seen Andrea and I praise Semilla and their wonderful green sandwich bags.  If not, go check them out.  They are well worth the investment!  Well, yesterday A took her lunch to school.  She takes her lunch every day, so this is nothing new (have you seen school lunch menu's...um, Jamie Oliver is MY HERO!!). 

So, A comes home and I start to empty out her lunch box.  I notice that she is missing the sandwich size Semilla bag.  Oh NOOOOO!!  I use my best "I'm just curious" voice and say "hey A, where is your bag that I put your turkey sandwich in?"  She looks at me and said "I have no idea Mommy.  Isn't it in my lunch bag."  I dropped the conversation from there, because really, it IS just a bag.  Inside though I was thinking Oh no, I don't have Ziploc sandwich bags...Yikes! 

Needless to say, today she is buying her lunch at school.  I need to get more bags stat!

Schooling Mom 201 ~~ Second guessing

This week A and Ren started school.  Next week, you'll learn how their first day went.  Andrea and I are going to post about the first days of school at the same time.  So, onto this post.

Have you ever second guessed everything?  I mean everything? I have.  Several times this week I've second guessed our painfully difficult decision to send A to the local public school.  For a refresher to that subject, click here and here.  Anyway, this has been the first week of school and it went okay.

Why the second guessing then?  Well, as a Mom, I ask questions.  I think this may be because A is my first child to experience school.  I'm NOT used to this.  I'm NOT used to procedures, protocols, and the ways of school.  My first glimmer of a second guess happened when I we started on the first day.  A came home that day complaining about the kids being mean to her, the bus was gross and hot and she didn't get to say her prayer before eating.  Her biggest complaint though.  She didn't get to finish eating her lunch.  Now, she does like to talk.  The obvious question was, did you talk too much or did I pack too much?  She said she didn't talk to anyone because no one would talk to her.  She said she didn't finish because they told her lunch was over and she had to go to recess.  WHAT?!?!  How long do they get to eat?  I've taught my kids to enjoy their food and eat slowly to avoid overfilling themselves.  Yet, I assume they are supposed to eat quickly there.  I will let you know that I haven't ask the school about the a limit yet and this is just the complaint of my 5-year-old.

The second glimmer, or rather large fire burning, happened Wednesday.  It was A's second day of school.  The second time she's ever ridden the bus.  It was also an "early dismissal day" for the district.  That means they dismiss school an hour early.  I'm unsure why though.  She usually gets home around 4:15.  So, at 3 I head to the bus stop (which is literally one house away). 3:15 comes and goes.  Okay, buses run late.  3:30 comes and still no bus.  Alright, now I'm worried.  3:40 gets here and I'm now in full-on panic mode.  I call the school who gives me the number to the bus garage.  I call and it's the wrong number.  Seriously?  So, I quickly run into my house and pull my laptop outside.  I look up the main Welcome Center number and call them.  They transfer me to the bus garage (thankfully!). I  give the person who answered A's school name and bus number.  By now, it's 3:50.  The person then says "Oh yeah, that bus was overcrowded with kids so we had to call another one out to divide the route.  She should be home in the next 20 or so minutes." WHAT?!?!?! I was LIV-ID! The school district didn't think it was too big a concern to attempt to call parents?  They assume we will call them?  I didn't even get an apology.  Just a curt person at the bus garage.  My daughter is 5!  She's scared of the bus enough already, let's just play into that fear.  Thanks.

A did finally get home from school.  At her normal arrival time of 4:15.  A FULL HOUR later than she was supposed to.  I am at a loss for this.  To add insult to injury, the bus was late this morning too.

Yeah, I was about to mortgage our house for tuition to the private school after that fiasco.

So, how was your week?

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This is Andrea here and lets just say next week is a must tune in week. It has been a nightmare of a first few days for Evan. Lets just say homeschooling might be in our future.

Mommy Confession ~ Schooling Mom 102

As the picture above shows, this post is all about school supplies.  Or, how little I know about school supplies is more accurate. 

After our fiaso with the school district Schooling Mom 101 post, I thought it might be fun to include my other trials and mishaps as my family and I start the school year.  Onto school supplies. 

I get it, kids need supplies.  Teachers should NEVER be expected to provide students with supplies.  Yet, some things I just don't understand.  Like "brand specific" supply lists.  I personally haven't encountered this, but while chatting with Andrea, she mentioned one of her lists specifically said "Crayola Brand Crayons".  Yes, Crayola does "color my world" and the world of my kids, but what about the kids whose parents can't afford those?  Isn't the store brand just as good?  Is there something so wonderful about Crayola that NO other brand would be suitable?  Is it the smell of Crayola crayons (I *may* have a slight addiction to the smell of Crayolas...seriously people, it's scary).  It was later explained that the brand specific was due to community supplies for the classroom.  Oh, NOW I get it.  NOW it makes sense and NOW I feel like a doofus.  Brand specific school supplies.  Who knew?

My kids lists were pretty easy.  A few rolls of paper towels, some Kleenex, baby wipes, and Ziploc bags were on both of my kids lists.  Those were super easy to fulfill.  Thanks to Target and their wonderful UP and UP brand!  Pencils, glue sticks, and donations of crayons, markers and colored pencils rounded out the lists.  All easy purchases and most are really cheap with all the back to school dollars up for grabs!  That aside, as A and I were strolling down the aisle at Target, I noticed a really frazzled Mom.  She was losing it patiently waiting for her daughter to choose a notebook.  Another was frantically picking through the HUGE stack of spiral notebooks and muttering to herself.  Something about "why must they all be blue?".  I guess, all in all, I made out pretty easy this year.  I know from others that these lists only get longer and more expensive. 

The next supply dilemma I encountered was underwear related.  Did you know underwear is an essential school supply?  I didn't.  I found out it was.  Or maybe it technically isn't.  I don't know.  Anyway, I DO know that underwear is priced really well right now, so I added it to my list (for the kids).  Although, it seems that only girls panties are included in the back to school sales.  Sorry boys, your undies are still full priced.  You must wear you old stuff.  Why retail marketing and pricing gurus, is it only girls panties?  Boys go to school too.  They need new undies.  Also, why do girls get 8 pack panties and boys only 3?  Ahh, the questions that pop into my head.

Lastly, I've been listening to those Moms who have done this school thing for a while and got the coolest idea.  It was Andrea's idea.  I take zero credit for it.  She told me to go and get a plastic school box.  Put inside it a couple of sharpened pencils, a box of crayons, an eraser, and whatever else A may need for Kindergarten homework.  Label it to say "A's homework box" or something like that and put it where she can access it after school.  This way, you're never looking for a supply.  Brilliant!  This one feeds right into my organizing personality.  Love it!

Are you having school supply list issues?  Do you have any suggestions for me?  I'm such a novice it's scary.  Now, onto getting the kids back on a schedule :-/