Today was our last day of school.
I had big plans for the end of the school year this year.
I was going to hand write really thoughtful notes to all the kids’ teachers.
I was even going to give them a gift that didn’t cost me much money but which would be completely individualized and the perfect gift for each one of them.
I was also going to plan a really fun activity for the kids to celebrate the last day of school.
Maybe we’d go to the zoo or make ice cream sundaes or, I don’t know… make a fire, toast marshmallows and make s’mores in the middle of the afternoon.
Just for the fun of it.
This was going to be the summer that I really started things off right.
But our schedule has just been insane.
And while I watched some mothers give hand made and hand sewn gifts to more than one teacher, and other mothers walking into the school buildings with Jumanji-sized plants to give to their kids’ teachers, well,
I did nothing.
I just couldn’t make it happen.
I was that parent.
I did manage to bring in some half melted ice cream sandwiches to Number 5’s class yesterday for her birthday.
I think I might have sent in a $5 contribution toward one teacher’s class gift.
And I also managed to drop off a box-and-a-half of Rice Krispie Treats for Number 3 (whose birthday is on Monday) to give to his class.
I left them on the table where the other moms had dropped off the treats they made for their children who have birthdays in the summer.
Their treats looked something like this:
Yep. I had lots of plans.
I was going to take last-day-of-school pictures and visit the kids and eat lunch with them and lots of other fun stuff.
But all I really managed to do was keep them alive.
And this year, that’s going to have to be enough.
I know what you mean! After my kiddos handed out thoughtful thank you cards with gift cards in them, my son sheepishly says, “Mom, but what about Mrs. So and So?” Argh! http://www.rebeccakrusee.com
There’s always things we hope that we’ll do, but somehow we don’t get around to doing. I call those other moms Super Moms. They just seem to be so perfect and always have something for the teacher and beautiful cupcakes or cakes. I wish I was a Super Mom. Maybe someday. You contributed money and Rice Krispies and kept them alive and that counts for a lot. 🙂
Don’t worry about all the fluff. I never saw that or had that when I went to elementary school in the 70’s. We have be come obsessed with all the gifting and presentation that we forget I kids just want to see us there.
This is the little you could not do.Don’t forget the so much you could.
Every year but this one, I greet my kids as they get off the bus with DQ and Barnes and Noble certificates and a “summer fun jar” for us to fill with ideas.
Yesterday they let themselves into the house and found me asleep on the couch. The last 2 weeks have simply been too insane to do anything but function. Summer Fun jar filling is delayed until this weekend. No big deal.
Everyone was still happy and we’ll still have a great summer.
Haha. Melted ice cream sandwiches have to count for something, right? 🙂
The Mini Skirt
Those Lego cupcakes are awesome but kids don’t remember or care who brought what to the class
I love the lego cupcake. They are beautiful. I need to learn how to make them for my sons birthday party which is coming up soon. He would love these.
Thanks for posting this. Collective exhale. Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves? And what kind of role model are we setting our kids if we kill ourselves just to compete with other parents? If you have the time and the creativity that’s fantastic (sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t) – we need that kind of wonderful inspiration as parents. But if we don’t have the time, energy or patience to make fantastic homemade gifts and cakes, then we are also teaching our children that it’s okay to not “follow the herd” and it’s absolutely fine to be true to ourselves – ultimately to protect our own mental and emotional health! xx
I really like BK’s comment because I think this sums your post perfectly. Gift giving has gone overboard like so many other things relating to children. It’s a measure of our society and self-worth. I’m a teacher in a low-income district, and I’m appreciative if I even get a gift. Moral: don’t compare yourself to the Jones.