The countdown to back to school has started in our house.  Some of us are definitely more excited than others!

I go back to work Monday.  I'm not looking forward to it.  I'm not ready to see teachers or students!  How is that for a bah humbug attitude?  I'm enjoying staying at home, being a bum and playing with the puppies.  We will have a week of meetings and then students come back on Sept. 25. 

Then there is M.  I'm not sure how excited she is about going back to school but she loves going back to school shopping!  We have her first day of school outfit and all of her back to school supplies.  She had to look carefully at every backpack before deciding which one she wanted.  She's growing up.  We've had the Barbie backpack and the Hello Kitty backpack.  This year she went with all flowers (and a little stuffed frog-maybe she's still my baby!)  When she was picking it out she thought about liking it now but making sure she would like it when she was "almost a third-grader." 

I will admit that I love back to school shopping.  There is something about $.22 Crayola Crayons that does something to me!  It just gets me all warm and fuzzy inside.  Don't even talk to me about $.10 folders!  I filled up a big plastic box with school supplies I bought for me!!  Not really for me-I stock up at this time for kids to use.

I'm trying a new system for school supplies this year in my room.  I only have students in my room when they are having some kind of behavior issue.  In the past I've always provided supplies.  It's easier than having them cart their supplies back and forth.  (They tend to forget them!)  I've discovered though that they don't much care about taking care of my supplies.  So this year each student will have a box of school supplies in my room.  When they are broken or lost they will have to use their behavior points to buy new.  We'll see.  After 18 years of teaching I still haven't figured out the best way to deal with this issue.

I'm going to enjoy my last few days as much as I can...and count until the first holiday!

Comments:

Enjoy your last few moments! Well, I guess tonight is almost gone. Happy back to school! Ours doesn't start until early September... We're always later, but then we go to the end of June.

comment by sunlight on Aug 17, 2008 8:29 PM ()

Ah, Chris... I am so glad you responded so that I could tell you that I was sorry about the rant! I've been worried about it and was thinking about a PM to you. I do know you well, and know what a good dad you are. I didn't know that Amy was your ex... To tell you the truth, I don't really know Amy well. I was just trying to do what I was asking others to do and visiting people that I didn't know. I've read many of your blogs here and on Blogster in the old days...

reply by sunlight on Aug 19, 2008 6:08 PM ()

I guess you don't know the history. Peanutsmom, Amy, is my ex-wife. I know all too well everything she does. I also know everything that is spent and time spent doing it. We do more than you can imagine. Last year, we did a complete Thanksgiving for three of her kids families and an entire Christmas for one family of three kids and a mom. The boy was in 2nd or 3rd grade and had never had Christmas at his home. We donated almost atruck load of canned goods to the food drive. Amy is not a typical teacher. She is the Structure teacher who handles the kids with behvior issues. She usually has 7 or so kids she monitors. She has received awards from the Mental health community for the work she does with the kids she has. I have more respect than you can imagine for what she does, I couldn't do it. However, that being said. I work from early in the morning until late at night most days. 6 and 7 day weeks are not uncommon. I don't mean to rant. She knows the spirit I kid her in.

reply by thepirateinthecity on Aug 18, 2008 8:28 AM ()

School started here Monday, I know that because I get behind a zillion school buses on the way to work..and a friend of mine's little girl started kindgergarden this year...she wasn't thrilled either..

Your daughter reminds me of myself at that age. I used to love going through all my new school supplies too. Cute picture.
My mom worked with ED and cognitively disabled kids when she worked in education. She loved the challenge of it.

comment by mattguru18 on Aug 13, 2008 9:21 AM ()

I get that! I work with kids who are behaviorally challenged...just found out I'm getting 4 new ones this year!

reply by peanutsmom on Aug 13, 2008 11:54 AM ()

Boo-hoo...You have been off since June. I don't even get a whole weekend off.

comment by thepirateinthecity on Aug 12, 2008 2:40 PM ()

Ah, Chris.... I wonder if this will get to Chris? You don't know that teachers wake up extra early to get to school to prepare for that day... every day. Then they stay up often until 11:00 pm correcting, evaluating, preparing for the next day... and they also work over the weekend doing all of those things. They go back at night for events (like Back to School, parent conferences, special events). They stay late for things like staff meetings which always tend to last forever (even when we tell the "talkers" to stuff it, they NEED to comment which draws others in and makes the meetings last anyway.) They give up recesses to counsel kids and stay late helping kids who need help. AND, they spend thousands of their own dollars every year to have supplies that the district will not provide! Teachers deserve every little moment they get... and more!) Sorry, didn't mean to go off like that...

reply by sunlight on Aug 17, 2008 8:26 PM ()

Yes, I knew sympathy from you would not be happening!

reply by peanutsmom on Aug 12, 2008 2:53 PM ()

No I was serious... it's hard to come back after 2 days off let alone 2 months!

I am looking forward to school starting! ours go back august 21st! I am so tired of hearing, I'm bored, I'm hungry! I love school supply shopping. we still need a new outfit for my son's first day, but he doesn't really care about clothes.

comment by elkhound on Aug 12, 2008 1:15 PM ()

I think there's a lot more moms ready than teachers! Bored is one of those words you don't hear in our house. M knows if she says it I dump out her undie drawer and she has to refold all of them!

reply by peanutsmom on Aug 12, 2008 2:25 PM ()

Yeah, it's kind of hard to feel sorry for someone who is finishing up weeks of vacation isn't it?

I sooo hear you with the bah humbug attitude about going back to schooland I also strangely enough still love the school supplies

ugs!!! That would be so hard - having to go back after so much time off!!! Poor thing! At least ya get lots of holidays and breaks though I guess...
Glad M is all set for the first day!

comment by kristilyn3 on Aug 12, 2008 11:15 AM ()

Yeah, it's kind of hard to feel sorry for someone who is finishing up weeks of vacation isn't it?

reply by peanutsmom on Aug 12, 2008 12:35 PM ()

comment by mrsstu on Aug 12, 2008 11:08 AM ()

I know-my heart still beats faster! M and I ended up needing two baskets that day!

reply by peanutsmom on Aug 12, 2008 12:34 PM ()