I’m going to address something today that I don’t usually talk about.

Over the years I have discussed my various career moves and balancing family life and career decisions but I’ve never really delved intensely into the “why” behind those moves.

I have a son with a learning disability. Or at least he used to be classified as having a disability. He’s been through OT and speech therapy as well as intensive reading and math interventions. At this point, at least according to the school system, he is classified as having ADD and has an IEP for school.

Dealing with my son’s “issues” (Oh how I hate that label. Total bunk in my opinion.) has steered my career decisions for the past seven years.
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Tiny Ninja brought home the official “Middle School Handbook” today.

Middle. School. Handbook.

Un-freakin-believable.

He unceremoniously handed it to me along with his other papers and went back to his homework like it WASN’T EVEN A THING.

I could barely touch it.

Opening the manual I found two other rather shocking documents inside – an announcement for NEXT WEEK’S middle school open house and a registration form for his 2011-2012 class schedule.

I felt like my head was spinning. I knew the day was coming, of course. I just wasn’t ready for it so soon. SO VERY, VERY, VERY SOON.

People, he still believes in Santa Claus. And he hasn’t even ONCE asked how babies are made.

Sigh. I had better get  on that, huh?

In discussing the while middle school subject further with my little man I’ve learned that there are three (or four) major things that every male 5th grader is looking forward to regarding middle school:

1. Lack of lines (Rumor has it that nobody stands in lines in middle school. It’s a pretty big deal. All the kids are talking about it. It’s anarchy.)

2.Vending machines (Oh. Dear. Lord. You. Can. Buy. Soda. Any. Time. You. Want.  It’s heaven on Earth.)

3. Combination locks (The most exciting thing since sliced bread. Locks! On Lockers! Locking lockers that stay locked! It’s lock-tastic!)

4. The introduction of boobs. (Okay, I’m making this up. I can’t confirm or deny that this is being discussed but I have a pretty good hunch.)

So now I am being forced to deal with the dreaded “middle school” transition. I’m seriously not sure I am up for this…

Help?

First day of school for the kiddos today! Yes, I shattered their dreams, woke their little butts up and put them on a school bus.  WOO HOO!!!

Not that I am that excited about it or anything.

Actually, this year is the first year that I was right there with them savoring those last moments of Summer. Relishing the last day of freedom…

Back to school has always been one of the happiest times of my life. Not because I was a good student, but because in my mind Fall represented “reinvention.” A fresh start. A clean slate. A chance to do and be whatever I wanted.

So, in honor of my tremendous geeky love for “Skool Dayz,”  I now present to you and opportunity to mock me forever.  You’re welcome.

Prom circa 1989.  Aqua Net is fabulous, isn’t it?

Hanging in the hallway with my girl posse!

I was on the Pom squad for two weeks and, of course, someone
just HAD to document it. Grumble, grumble, grumble…