Ah the wonderful, scheduled, frantic onset of school! Evelyn has been most anxious for school to start: wondering who her teacher will be, planning all the things she will brag about to her teacher ("I read 64 books this summer, Teacher!"), whether or not a certain not-so-desirable boy will end up in her class, dreaming about a much-more-desirable boy sitting next to her, and oh yeah: if her best friend will have the same teacher! It has been very amusing to listen to her verbal ponderings.
Last night was Back to School night for Evelyn. We were very pleased with her new teacher who has many glowing references by trusted friends. Everything went smoothly, with only slight threatenings of my tears spilling over. But I held them back successfully! WHY MUST CHILDREN GROW UP SO QUICKLY?!?! And why do I have a shortage of children that makes my "empty-nesting" years loom much too close for comfort?! Ooookay, pardon the pity party: I just dropped off my first grader to her very first day of school.
Speaking of which, I was very proud of my organized and successful morning! I got up with an hour to spare before school started. I did my daughter's hair, made her a nutritious, if not slightly sugary breakfast. Then I read her scriptures while she ate! (I am very impressed with this fact, mostly because it's what my mom did for her children before school, and thus, it's the BEST way to do things, right?) After which, we had about 25 more minutes, so I got Evelyn to do her work chart job, AND practice the piano before school started! Mom points!
I would have given myself props for the perfect first day of school, if I hadn't had to threaten to wash Evelyn's mouth out with soap literally right before I wished her a good day at school.
How's this for a first day of school memory? While rhyming words with "itch," Evelyn discovered her first swear word, and thought it was the most fascinating discovery since what women look like pregnant. (That was another embarrassing discovery, full of pointing and screaming out that random strangers must have a baby in their tummy--this proclamation was not limited to actual pregnant ladies, but extended the elderly, the women still recovering from their birth, and the occasional tubby male. Fun days.)
Anyway Evelyn's potty mouth simply served to remind me that truly my baby is growing up, and while not purposely swearing, she is definitely going to stumble upon unpleasantness of life. And perhaps maybe even introduce some of that unpleasantness to your kids. (Sorry if your kid comes home knowing a new swear word.)
So I got a Good Mom Reward today, followed almost immediately by a slap in the face and a "Give that medal back!" But I have learned a valuable lesson: If your child is just making funny sounds with their mouth, don't point out the swear word. Oh, and don't define the swear word. Sometimes in trying to be educational you just give too much information.
