Whine of the Month Wednesday has become my new favorite day. It’s a special time set aside for all of you moms (and dads) to share your whine of the month. So come on, go ahead and get your complaint off of your chest! You know you want to! No whine is too big or too small.
This Wednesday my complaint isn’t even directed toward my family but toward my son’s school and the way they handle their parent-teacher night. There is only one way to describe it: a time-sucking nightmare.
Now, I love my son. I want to be the dutiful parent and be well informed about how he is doing in school, which is more than just the letters on his report card. But with all of the parents descending upon the school within the same four hour time frame, and with each kid having six different teachers, as you can imagine parent-teacher night is rather chaotic. But there is no process in place, we are simply told to line up outside each teacher’s room and wait our turn. I waited for an HOUR to speak with my son’s English teacher. Eventually it’s a bit like waiting in line for concert tickets, the parent ahead of you and the one behind you becoming your new BFF’s forever. I felt like I needed an “I survived” T-shirt, and that was only after the first line! I still had five more teachers to go.
*sigh*
PS And if my son’s band teacher is reading this blog, I’d like to apologize for not meeting with you. After the fifth line I was tired and hungry and cranky, much like a toddler. I suspect you’re probably pretty happy I gave up and went home.
Wow! I’d whine, too! Here in my school district they’re called open houses and my husband does them. Wwaayy too crowded for me. But the setup is different. The open house is treated like a mini-school day with parents following their children’s class schedules. The bell rings and everything. And you’re not allowed to discuss individual students unless it’s brief and you can get to the next class on time. Parent teacher conferences need to be scheduled individually and are done after school.
Okay. My turn… My son, who is my middle child and only boy, turned 18 today. 18. I am way more emotional about this than I should be. Maybe it’s the mama’s boy thing…although he’s just as much a daddy’s boy! I’m sad he’s going to be leaving for college soon and I’m wondering if he’ll meet a nice girl who’s going to bond him with her family and I’ll never see or hear from him. (I do tend to get a little ahead of myself.)
So my whine… Why is it children leave home when they’re finally independent and fun to be around? When they’re old enough to go shopping for you and to the post office and library? When they mow the lawn and take out the garbage? Why? Why? Why?
Wow, if your eighteen year old does all that I need your secret! The only time my almost 18 year old wants to go shopping for me is when he thinks he can keep the change.
School conference or “open house” yuck! Would someone please tell the mom who took 45 minutes talking to one teacher while the rest of waited somewhat patiently to button it up and move on. Out of four teachers we managed to see two. I agree it is a complete waste of time.
LOL. Hugs, Wendy. It’s definitely one of those age old questions. Why do the leave just when they turn into wonderful human beings?
And our school’s system just doesn’t work. One poor mother I chated with ( for half an hour while waiting for the math teacher) had three different kids in three different schools with the exact same set up. On the same day! OY!
Wow, I can see how Open Houses are gonna be a pain in the you know what and I only have two! And Wendy, I feel the sting of this birthday – I freak at the idea of my sons leaving me for other women. It’s ok to feel really emotional today – I would.
My whines. I was holed up with a nasty virus and my husband took care of evertyhing. Great, right? But he whined…a lot…the whole time, while I was praying for death and shaking in bed. My son had to bake fudge for a school recipe and I told him he’d have to do it. Would’ve thought the world collapsed, he was so freaked out at the idea. He complained the whole time. The next morning, I go to cut it and send it to the school and the whole pan is like caramel or taffy. Not fudge. My son freaks when I tell him I can’t send it, starts crying and begging, and I pen a note to the teacher apologizing for the horrible recipe outcome but that my son inisisted he bring it. When I pick him up from school, he comes walking out and in the middle of a million moms, yells, “Mommy, that fudge yuou made was awful! No one liked it!” Great. Just frikkin great.
Kelly, welcome! Yes, it hardly encourages parent participation. A very frustrating process. I’m not sure I have a magic solution, mind you. Lol. Thanks for stopping by!
Eegads! Hope you are feeling better, Jen!!! And hugs on the undeserved public criticism!!!
That sounds horrible. I hope the school reflects on this process and makes changes for the future.
I think people who needed more than 5 -10 minutes should schedule an appointment at another time or set up a phone call. There has to be a better way.
On another note: Thanks for the heads up for the future, I’ll be sure to pack a snack and a flask. O_*
My (late) Wednesday whine is: WHY O WHY must I repeat myself ALL THE TIME… all girls ages 6, 1 and 2 months… “sit down, stop that, sit down, sit down”… you get the idea. I want a world of children that function on “one and done” I say it, it’s done and we continue.
I’m done, Thanks for listening
LOL, Optimistic Mom. Yep, the snack – and especially the flask – will come in handy! Thanks for stopping by!
Welcome, Jere! And no whine is EVER too late. I think I shall rename this regular blogpost Whine Week instead of Whine Wednesday. I got enough complaints to filla week’s worth, for sure
One and done sounds so lovely, doesn’t it?!? “sit down, stop that, sit down” Wow, you’re house sounds like mine
Thanks for stopping by!!!!
My turn! My SIL emailed me this morning with the offer to babysit my 2 kids tonight. You are probably thinking what could be wrong with this picture? Well nothing. Hubby and I just went to a movie last weekend and as a 1 income family date nights are nice & all but not an every weekend thing for us. So I politely declined but offered her dinner tonight here so she could see her niece & nephew that she “misses sooo much”. She replied immediately with “im going to dinner with a friend tonight”. Hmmm, what if we were going to take her up on her babysitting offer? What then? When you look up self absorbed in the dictionary you will find a picture of her. Ridiculous.
Stephanie, welcome! And we’re so happy you stopped by for Whine Week!!! I like having company ; )
Odd that that you SIL would offer to babysit when she already had plans. Was she planning on taking the kids with??