a lesson well learnt

This parenting gig is full on at times.  Oh who I am kidding.  It's full of most of the time if not all the time.  A little while ago I was presented with a situation that I had not yet had to deal with as a parent (of a school child) in particular.

On collecting my son from school, I got the look from his teacher that alerted me that I was not to escape without discussion.  Yes.  I was approached by said teacher and the details explained before me were to the effect that my son who was standing oh so innocently beside me, had in fact decided not to complete his comprehension work that day "just because".  As a way of protesting further he had written clearly in block letters on the top of this page  "NO NOT TODAY"

We had homework.

I had to take that work home with me, and he had to complete it.  hmmmm......

I thought on the short walk home - calm and collected brenda, calm and collected. 

As my kids sat side by side at the kitchen bench eating an after school snack I got out uncompleted work and directed my son's attention to it.  We completed it with little fan-fare and minimal agitation from me.  done.  but not really.  A lesson had to be learnt from this.

Later on I crept into the bedroom that is my sons domain and spoke to him about what had happened and what he thought he should do.

"Oh mum, I know I should do my work in class, I have to say sorry to Ms Dunn"

"Yes you do"

"But I don't want to say it, I think I could write it."

"Ok, that's fine"

So he popped up to his desk and wrote the sweetest apology and as a tear trickled down my cheek I realised that making the mistake isn't so bad if there is a lesson well learnt at the end.  And said apology note snapped on the iPhone as reminder before we took to school the following day.

What lesson has your child had to learn recently?  Did it make you proud?

The play date disaster...

Source: etsy.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Ok...I've been a school mum for a little over six weeks.  I feel very new, out of my depth and a little intimidated by all the experienced school mum's out there that "know what's going on".

So the other day, another mum from the same class and approached me and asked if we could organise a play date as her son seems to talk a lot about my son.  Yep, easy done.  We swapped mobile numbers and set aside a play date at the park one day after school.

That day arrived and I got a text message from said mother that it was too windy* to go to the park and she invited us to her house and she offered to pick up my son at school.  This was my first warning.  I replied casually that change of venue was fine, but that I would pick up my own child from school since he has most likely never clapped eyes on you... (thankyou very much!)

Once I got to school this was a little how the conversation went;

Her "Ok, so my husband is at home with a head-ache, so I'm not so sure about our play date"
Me: "Oh ok, we could always just head to the park like we planned?"
Her: "Oh I think it's too windy* - a branch might fall on us!"
Me: "Ok..."
Her: "I wonder if there is somewhere else we can go?"
Me: (sigh) "Well, why don't we just go to my house?"
Her:  Eyes light up! "Ok then, I'll drop Jerry** off for about an hour?"
Me:  "Excuse me?  Drop him off?  Don't you think that he might feel a bit unsure, seeing as your son doesn't know me or even been to my house before?"
Her:   She looks down at her son - "You wont mind, will you Jerry? (he gives a little shake)....See he'll be fine...plus you look like an OK kind of person!"

(Ok!  I look Ok?!!  I'll give you ok!) I think internally!

Given she drove and I walked, I was able to go over this conversation for a few moments as I paced the pavement.  To be honest, I felt like I'd been railroaded.  Did I just consent to babysitting her child (whom I know nothing about) without so much as an option of refusing?  My mind started racing as I could see myself feeding this child dinner, bathing him, and reading bedtime stories.

I resolved to tell her, that I would feel much more comfortable if she actually stayed during her son's time in my house!  She was waiting for me when I arrived and as I approached she made to farewell her child at the gate.  I stood, shoulders square and offered that she come inside for a cup of tea and and that really it would be a good idea if she stayed.  Luckily she accepted without need for re-enforcing the issue.  But.... I felt at a loss as to how this was going to pan out.  I made a lame excuse that I had to be somewhere soon, so the play date was cut shorter.

Did I over-react about her offer to 'drop off' her son at mine?

Has some-one you didn't know very well dropped their kid at your door? And how did you react?

Is this usual school play date policy now our kids are getting older or am I well within my rights to want to suss people out first and get to know them before looking after their kids?

*windy?  slight breeze perhaps...in my book....perfect park weather!!! 
** The child's name has been changed to protect his more identity....thing is, he appears to be a sweet little kid!