middle schoolers
Monday, July 1, 2013 at 12:47AM God bless the middle school teachers of the world.
Tip o' the hat to all of you who spend your days coaxing coltish pre-teens into staying in their seats and not throwing sandwiches at each other.
My own career as a high school teacher cemented my belief that middle school teachers are better human beings than I am.
I really needed -- on a cellular level -- students who could wait the better part of ten minutes in between bathroom breaks.
My boy is going into middle school.
On one hand, he likes to hug me and call me on the phone to ask things in an Eeyore-ish voice. "Hey mom. It's me. Just checking to see if it would be OK if I cooked some oatmeal."
On the other, he believes he is ready to drive our car. Just to the grocery store, mom! I just want to get some more of those cashews I like!
I'm certain it would stop at the grocery store, right? Never one foot beyond? Nary a toe across the line, right, son?
I call him son a lot.
Because he is. My one and only.
Now that he's about to enter the fascinating world of switching classrooms and archery during P.E., he's speaking a whole new language.
My own mother tongue. Sarcasm.
It's been fun for me to watch his brain move past concrete thinking and into the abstract. We now share the same sense of humor, and the more dry I am, the funnier he thinks it is.
For now, at least.
When I look at these pictures, portraits of an eleven year old, I see a sixteen year old lurking in the shadows behind his eyes. I see a boy who really can drive a car. I see a 6'4" nearly-grown man eating $150 of food every day.
I see my baby, my first baby, my ten pound boy with the chubby legs.
Oh, middle school. You be good to him. Or I'll... I'll...
I don't know what. But you won't like it.
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Today is July 1st! Which means that I'll be at The Yarn Spot in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC, in just three more days!
The July 4th party is always fun -- you already have the day off, why not come spend it with us? Stop by anytime between 9:30 and 3:00 to say hello and snag yummy goodies! No registration is necessary, this is open house style!
I *may* have brought a *few* one of a kind items with me. And there *may* be just a tickle, a whisper, of one pound mini skein bundles. And I *think* I might be bringing Baby Shamrock along.
See you on July 4th!
Reader Comments (10)
Yay!! I can't wait!! PLEASE bring Baby Shamrock! My own Baby Baboon (more commonly called Lucy) is eager to meet you and bring you her beautiful t-shirt.
Baby Shamrock is definitely coming along! :)
And we might have door prizes, too. Just sayin'. One entry for joining us, one for wearing red/white/blue and one for wearing a garden hat.
What handsome pictures of our Wumpus! Just because our kids are old now...that doesn't mean WE'RE old. Right? RIGHT???
YAY! I am so excited!!!
Thank you for the wonderful praise for middle school teachers, of which I was one for 26 years. I truly love middle school. They are not as jaded as I feel high schoolers are, and they get the jokes unlike 1st graders. Middle schoolers are a true joy. Yes, there were days when they could make you want to bang your head on a wall, but the next minute they are giving you a hug because you smiled understandingly at them instead of yelling or showing disappointment in them. I love them so much I have thought about unretiring and going back into the middle school classroom.
Have a great time at the Yarn Spot. Happy 4th of July.
It was great seeing you and Baby Shamrock and all the pretty yarn, especially Katniss.
margieinmaryland
Great to see you at the open house! Baby Shamrock is so adorable!!! Now, I sure am regretting not getting one of the "One pounders"!! LOL. But I sure love what I did get :). All my Rav buddies in three bags full group are oohing and aching too.
Oh, and I forgot - handsome young man there
The more he grows, the more he looks like you!