Kimberly’s Top Ten
Y'all I hate to be the bearer of bad news if you haven't realized it yet or to throw the obvious in your face if you have, but summer is quickly closing down and school is literally only three and a half weeks away. So in honor of the fact that I have exactly one and a half weeks left of vacation I've decided to bless y'all with some of my wisdom (you're welcome).I successfully graduated two sons from 13 years of public school, one of which (good Lord willing and the creeks don't rise) will graduate from college in just five months. (Can we all take a moment and say a prayer that this kid finds a job and is off my payroll 'cause Lord knows I love him but this momma needs a raise!) The third kid is currently a junior and rather successful in her schooling and if that wasn't enough to make y'all listen to me I have worked in three different schools in the last 12 years so I feel like I have a pretty good handle on the do's and the don'ts. So here goes y'all:
Back up shoes are necessary: After you take Becky to get her new school clothes including the precious new shoes, please for the love of all things good in the world let that child wear them before the first day. However, if you are like my mother and refuse to allow this to happen then throw that baby some cheap flip flops in her backpack because I can promise you by nine o'clock Becky will be crying because she has blisters covering every inch of her feet and you will get a phone call to bring her up a pair of shoes.
School lunch is not meant for the food pyramid: Lunch. Y'all, Johnny will not be eating the three course healthy lunch you send him. He will (if you're lucky) throw it away and then promptly go through the snack bar line to get a slushy, pickle, cookie and gold fish (even though you packed him goldfish). Save yourself the trouble and pack what he likes, you can make sure breakfast and dinner are healthy, one bad meal a day will not hurt the kid.
School is not the place for Gucci and Air Jordans: Gym clothes, shoes, jackets basically anything that is not required to be on their body the full seven hours that they are required to be at school will be lost, stolen, left on the bus, left outside, etc. Remind them, put their name in it and just hope for the best but prepare for the worst, really it's that simple y'all.
Leave all form of "lovies" at home: I understand that Susie has a favorite teddy bear and that she "promises to keep it in my bag, momma!". Y'all, Susie will NOT keep it in her bag, she will take Pookie out during recess where a stinky boy will come along and "accidently" rip it's arm off and you will have to sew it back on on your way to her older sister's basketball game out of town where you had to pick up overly priced thread at the quickie mart. Susie will cry the whole way there and back because Pookie now has two different length arms. Y'all! Just leave Pookie at home, or in the car or whatever you have to do. I promise once Susie gets to school she will be fine! (I speak from experience on this one....poor Pookie!)
School is exhausting: Do not expect anything from your kiddo after school for the first week. They will come home, exhausted and cranky, yes it's "only school" but their brain has had to be turned on completely for the last seven hours unlike the last two and a half months where they've been firing on like two cylinders. Expect little from them and be understanding. After that first week then you can start busting butt again for laziness.
Dress code the littles: Do a dress code check y'all. Please do this BEFORE you get to the drop off line and turn to help your little one remove herself from her car seat, because I can promise you THIS is NOT the moment you want to realize she isn't wearing underwear under her skirt. In addition, it's also a very bad time to be informed that she HASN'T been wearing underwear under her skirts for about two weeks 'because I just don't like them momma!'. Seriously y'all...just do a check I again speak from experience.
Teen girls sometimes need a little dress code help too: Let me include the big girls in this dress code issue as well. Y'all some leggings are meant to be worn as attire and are thick and dark and almost have the appearance of skinny jeans. However, some are meant to be worn under a long top that covers your Victoria Secret purple thong. Please check which type your daughters are wearing and make necessary comments. No teacher wants to be walking up the stairs behind your child if she's wearing the latter and no male teacher wants to be the one to dress code her. I'm just sayin'.
Bootie Shorts: Girls of (almost all ages) need bootie shorts under their skirts. There is a lot of getting down on the floor and playground and stuff like that and it's hard to sit like a lady and still be a kid. Just go ahead and buy a few pairs when you buy those new clothes. However, please remind your teen that these are not to be worn as pants on their own. If they are in sports great! Yes, work out in them proudly, but let's throw something on over them before they take to the hallways.
Listen: When your kid, rather he's 5 or 15 comes home and starts spilling about their day. Listen! Stop what you are doing (unless you're driving then just turn down the radio) and listen. One day they wont want to tell you every single silly thing about their day so listen and be present while you can.
Their problems may be different but just as important: Y'all this is the biggie...the is the most important thing I'm going to tell y'all (besides the shoe thing 'cause seriously y'all all girls need BACK UP SHOES!) Your junior high and high school kid will come home some days and their world will be falling apart. Everything sucks, they will be saying FML over and over again (if you don't know don't Google it it's ok), they will hate the world and everything and everyone in it. What they are telling you is wrong will seem like the most trivial thing in the world. You will feel the need to roll your eyes and say things like "Really?" and "Get over it!" and "Oh em gee! Just wait until you're an adult! Seriously, you think you have problems now!". Y'all these problems they are dealing with are HUGE to them. They are life altering (in their minds), these issues are their whole entire world and the fact that Monica was 'A total bitch to me in math class for totally no reason at all mom!' Will mean that your child will be grumpy and hateful to the family, they will sulk and want to hermit in their room on their computer or phone. So when you walk in and sit on her bed and listen to what you see as trivial teen issues compared to your adult real life issues understand that this is EVERYTHING right now and she needs your confiding, comforting ear and maybe some ice cream.
There ya go y'all, I could literally go on for days but here's "Kimberly's Top Ten" of important things you need to remember as your kids head back to school and the chaos and craziness starts up again. Go ahead and send me your most important school reminders, y'all! I'd love to hear them and while your at it share this with a friend in need! The school years are fast and furious, they are scary for our kids and for us and before you know it you'll be visiting colleges and ordering a cap and gown. So be present, and enjoy every single moment and to quote Cody Jinks:I get by, They get by, We all get byBy the grace of God we all get by