Schoolyard Monday Morning
October 19, 2015
Posted By: Shaunescy
Monday morning and I just got back from taking my kids to school after a 4 day weekend. Everyone’s eyes look a little sleepy. No doubt there was a mini epidemic of, “But I’m not tired,” in households across the valley last night.
I hug my son and send him on his way. Hand-in-hand my daughter, the baby of the family, and I head to her playground. At the gate I ask, “Do you want me to stay and hang out with you or do you want me to give you a kiss and head on my way?”
“Kiss and head on your way, mommy.” I am proud and my heartstrings pull a bit. Baby steps of independence. Nothing new but I am always aware of that emotion on Monday mornings, especially when she’s her cheerful and confident self. She skitters off to join her friends.
I turn to go and I see one of my daughter’s friends. A sweet girl who has been my daughter’s classmate since preschool. She’s standing with 3 other kids. She’s always cold in the mornings. She’ll be fine in an hour when the chill is off the morning air. Our ritual for the past couple of weeks is for me to stop, say hello and to zip up her sweater. I do and she tells me she wishes that she brought her warm gloves. I tell her that she can stick her hands in her pockets like I do. All better.
Now that I’ve done my community mama duty, I think I am off to start my day. I am very wrong. Kids are quick on the draw with all the things that are bubbling in their heads. It’s a rapid fire first grade chorus of chirping voices. They all have something urgent to say. All of the following info flies at me in about 15 seconds.
My daughter’s friend shoots out: “You know what? My sweater is really soft! And I like it because I like lots of colors. It’s striped you know. Not an actual rainbow because it has yellow and white stripes and rainbows don’t. So it’s not a real rainbow right?
A boy standing next to her whose name I don’t know, but I have seen every morning chimes in. “My jacket is soft inside like her sweater, but it’s warm, too. It has a puffy outside and is soft inside.” Turning the inside lining out for me to see, “See!! Isn’t that nice? It’s a good jacket!!!”
Another friend, this time a girl whose name I don’t know: “I am warm. My mom gave me gloves to wear this morning. I wanted to spend time with her this weekend but I couldn’t because she was with a friend in Idaho and she didn’t get back until last night. I missed her.”
And a second boy in the group tells me he got a costume for Halloween and that he carved a pumpkin over the long weekend. His pumpkin has a cat on it. Carving whiskers is really hard.
Following that thread my daughter’s friend says, “I have a cat. Her name is Blossom because she has a blossom shape on her nose. She eats cat food and her own poop.”
Right, well cats can be rather inscrutable creatures, now can’t they?
The first boy with the warm coat says, “I have a cat and it only eats cat food!”
The second boy tells me about the bird his cat caught and ate the other day.
The other girl says she doesn’t like cats. She’s a dog-person.
I tell them that I am a fish-person. This somehow leaves them speechless. I see my opening to leave.
I look past them for a quick glimpse of my little girl. Across the schoolyard, she’s surrounded by a similar gaggle of kids. No doubt, embroiled in a similar rat-a-tat of schoolyard banter. “Ok, you guys have a great Monday! Stay warm and be nice to your teachers.”
I retreat and leave them, feeling incredibly thankful for the skilled warriors that tend to these troops everyday. How on earth they wrangle and inform 20 of them at a time is nothing short of a miracle as far as I am concerned.
Have a great Monday teachers. Stay warm and be nice to yourselves. You Rock!
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All my best, BunnyFufu ~ The Housewife
