School days, school days, something…something..something about golden rules, but really it’s just the days when kids prove their parents have no idea whom they have been raising.
Remember when I told you how my little gal was having a hard time starting “school” (really it’s just one day a week not real, real school)? Well if you missed it, here it is.
After a few weeks of tears (both hers and mine), the last few drop-offs have gone beautifully! As she saunters down the hallway (the same hallway she spent weeks crying and screaming as if we were headed down the green mile), she turns to me and says “Bye Mommy! See you soon! I’ll miss you.” She jumps into the arms of her teacher and there I stand: proud, shocked, relieved, weepy, and pretty stoked to have a few kid free hours on my hands.
But it wasn’t until I went to pick her up from school that I learned I really have no idea who this kid is outside of the house. Oh, I KNOW who she is when she is home ruling the roost, but little did I know kids come in two varieties: the kid you know and your school kid.
When it was time to bust her out of school, I was actually greeted in the hallway by her teacher.Excited to see how my daughter’s craft, play, and snack filled day went, I became “that” mom and bombarded her teacher to give me every single stinkin’ detail. Here is how the convo went down:
Me: How did she do today!?!
Teacher: Well, today was not such a good day. (insert big sad face)
Me: Yikes! What happened? (Crap)
Teacher: Well she had a really hard time sharing toys with her friends.
Me: Really? (yeah, tell me about it. You’d think the second kid would be good at sharing)
Teacher: And she really didn’t listen to directions or what we were saying to her.
Me: Oh no! (Oh yes…fun, right?)
Teacher: And she just wanted to do what she wanted to do.
Me: Uh-huh…. (Yup, sounds about right and any second she is going to say she threw a HUGE tantrum)
Teacher: Then she had a very big tantrum.
Me: No! (Right on cue…)
Teacher: And she has a really bad runny nose
Me: Wait, what? Mimi has a runny nose? She didn’t have one when she left the house today.
Teacher: Oh, no! Oh wait! You aren’t….. oh, you are Mimi’s mommy. No, no, no I confused you with another Mommy. Oh no, Mimi was an angel. Good as gold…Good as gold. She is such a joy and such a good listener.
Me: Good as gold? (Are we talking about the same kid? The one with the wild blonde curly hair and the high pitch deafening screams. That kid was good as gold?).
I must have looked totally shell-shocked because her teacher had to lead me into the classroom by the elbow. There I saw my little lady sitting nicely at a round, yellow table with a few friends coloring. COLORING!! Who is this kid and what have they done with my daughter?
I scooped up that “Good as Gold” girl and we danced out of the classroom–no reason to blow her cover now. I may have no idea who she is at school, but I do know that she and I both love Starbucks after school. And she always wants a chocolate milk and a cakepop. At least I think she does…
Has this happened to you? Does your kid have a home personality and a school personality?
I guess I should have known that they let it all hang out at home…but it still shocked me to see my “angels” at school. I suppose I’m glad that they like school and put their best foot forward but boy, do they have their teachers bamboozled.
Yes they do!! All in all, I am thrilled that she is that Good as Gold girl at school. Lord knows I could use a little of her Good as Gold around here!
YESSSSSSSSSSSSS! And that’s exactly why this Mama ain’t into homeschooling. My kiddos thrive in a formal setting, one that I can’t always provide at home; far be it from me to keep them from the kind of growth Mimi (and mom!) experienced at her little round table 🙂 ADORABLE! Cake pops for everyone!
and can I second the YESSSSSSSSS! Now that she loves school and I know that she can be sweet, kind, and listen to her teachers, I feel like I’ve actually done my job as her mom and it makes up for a few of her tantrums…. maybe one….
Oh yes. My kids are so much better at school. I like to think it’s b/c they know I’ll love them no matter what, so they feel safe enough to behave like demons at home. 😉
Yes! I guess as long as they are just creeps to us and perfect angels at school we should be happy… I think???
Lol! Yes… a lot of times. My son’s a teachers pet. I can’t get my way around him though. I wrote this shortly after knowing that… http://www.wordsnneedles.com/2013/07/the-five-year-old.html
Ha! Love! Thank you for sharing!
I am new to the site and this is soooo real for me. At the day care my 2 year old is fully potty trained, eats like a horse, naps on schedule and does things like ‘sit down and color’. Meanwhile at home she prefers to wear the potty rather than use it, she survives on eggs and juice and throws tantrums because they’re fun fun fun!!!!!
Glad to know that Im not alone. 🙂
Ha! Too funny! It always amazes me when I pick her up and they just gush over her good behavior and the way she cleans up after every activity. I’m always like who? This kid? No way!
Welcome to the site!! Hope you come back 🙂