Kid Logic & the PTA
Yesterday I took the kiddo to his first piano lesson. Turns out it's his last for at least another year. Apparently, playing your own music instead of playing what your piano teacher wants you to play is bad. *shrug* Go figure.
When I asked him what he thought about piano lessons, he looked me right in the eye and stated, "It was fun, but would have been a lot funner if she'd have let me play the music I wanted to play. My music is way better than hers, mom. Can you just get me my own keyboard? I'll teach my own piano lessons to myself."
Today begins my obligation to the kiddo's school PTA. *sigh* I am not one of those moms who enjoys being up at my kids school, well, ever. I 'did' school already. It's boring and tedious. I made good grades, because when you're forced to be some place for most of the hours of the day, there's nothing else to do but accept the inevitable and make the best of it. The kiddo is showing signs of the same opinion. How do I know? Comments like, "Mom, why can't I stay home with you?" and "School is so boring." are really good indicators.
My goal: Pass the 'make the best of it' attitude on to him.
The day I graduated University will always be one of the greatest days of my life as it signaled FINALLY reaching the end of school. Now I can read what I want, write what I want, and do what I want. *Looks over at trophy orders that need to be filled* Sorta.
I enjoyed my liberation from school for all of 7 years, then the kiddo started school. *sigh* Am I the only one that feels like, as the parent, I'm the one back in school? I have to get up early in the morning to get him up for school. I have to make time for homework and sit down to help him with it. I can't just go on a spontaneous vacation somewhere, because God help us if he misses more than so many days of school.
The point? I've let myself be coerced into 'helping' at his school, again. So each week, I must go up and spend my time doing my motherly duty and I'm not looking forward to it. I'm abnormal, I know. Many of my fellow mommas seem to enjoy this stuff. Believe me, I know. I see them every time I have to step foot into that school.
Maybe it's how I was raised. My mom certainly didn't go up to my school to 'help'. In fact, I don't remember ever seeing very many moms at my school during the day to day running of it. Sure, they appeared for some things, but it didn't seem to be as much as I see now. Maybe it's the perspective.
Does your kid's logic often have you smiling and shaking your head? Are an 'involved' parent who is forced to spend time at your kid's school? Do you feel like you're being forced to 'go to school' again, like I do?
When I asked him what he thought about piano lessons, he looked me right in the eye and stated, "It was fun, but would have been a lot funner if she'd have let me play the music I wanted to play. My music is way better than hers, mom. Can you just get me my own keyboard? I'll teach my own piano lessons to myself."
How do I even argue with that?
Today begins my obligation to the kiddo's school PTA. *sigh* I am not one of those moms who enjoys being up at my kids school, well, ever. I 'did' school already. It's boring and tedious. I made good grades, because when you're forced to be some place for most of the hours of the day, there's nothing else to do but accept the inevitable and make the best of it. The kiddo is showing signs of the same opinion. How do I know? Comments like, "Mom, why can't I stay home with you?" and "School is so boring." are really good indicators.
My goal: Pass the 'make the best of it' attitude on to him.
The day I graduated University will always be one of the greatest days of my life as it signaled FINALLY reaching the end of school. Now I can read what I want, write what I want, and do what I want. *Looks over at trophy orders that need to be filled* Sorta.
I enjoyed my liberation from school for all of 7 years, then the kiddo started school. *sigh* Am I the only one that feels like, as the parent, I'm the one back in school? I have to get up early in the morning to get him up for school. I have to make time for homework and sit down to help him with it. I can't just go on a spontaneous vacation somewhere, because God help us if he misses more than so many days of school.
The point? I've let myself be coerced into 'helping' at his school, again. So each week, I must go up and spend my time doing my motherly duty and I'm not looking forward to it. I'm abnormal, I know. Many of my fellow mommas seem to enjoy this stuff. Believe me, I know. I see them every time I have to step foot into that school.
Maybe it's how I was raised. My mom certainly didn't go up to my school to 'help'. In fact, I don't remember ever seeing very many moms at my school during the day to day running of it. Sure, they appeared for some things, but it didn't seem to be as much as I see now. Maybe it's the perspective.
Does your kid's logic often have you smiling and shaking your head? Are an 'involved' parent who is forced to spend time at your kid's school? Do you feel like you're being forced to 'go to school' again, like I do?
Thanks for this refreshingly honest post! I wouldn't trade being a mom for anything, but I've always dreaded helping with my daughter's various activities and classes. I feel guilty for this. It's nice to know I'm not the only one. My daughter has a lot more sense than I do--she has no problem telling me when it's time to back off and stop "helping"!
ReplyDeleteI just listened to a program on NPR a day or two ago about the school systems in Sweden, South Korea, and another country I don't remember off the top of my head. Anywho, they talked about how parents in those countries (who's schools have much better stats than those in the USA) hardly ever go to their kids schools and are certainly not involved on the PTA level that some moms are here. Basically, they encourage learning and participation at home, but the moms don't go to the schools. Sounds like a good system to me.
ReplyDeleteSo glad that I'm not the only one, Maria! And yes, Grace, I agree. I think our children are babies a little too much.
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