awk-wArd

The kids are all registered for school. Yup. I dragged 5 kids, ages 11, almost 10, 7, 4, and 3 months (almost) to two different schools and registered three of them for school. Piece of cake. They were so well-behaved and I'm sure our new schools are going to be so happy and blessed to have them there. Good thing it was first thing in the morning (before they all get tired of being around each other); also I bribed them all with a piece of gum.

We started at the elementary school and then moved on to the middle school. As we were finishing up at the middle school I asked if we could take a walk around the school. The lady helping me said, "Sure, let me get the 6th grade counselor to show you around."

A few minutes later a nice-looking and obviously in-shape older man walks over to us. He is tan with spiky hair, has tattoos on his arms and around his collar. He introduces himself, shakes our hands, and invites us into his office. Then he starts talking and he's so nice... like counselor nice...which was kind of weird because his conversation and his appearance were so incongruent. He asks Logan if he's nervous for school, and Logan (who didn't really want to come in the first place) kind of shrugs, so to break the silence I say something like, "Oh, it's Mom who is nervous!" The counselor looks at me and says very seriously, "Let's talk about that, Mrs. McGregor. What are you nervous about?" I try to deflect the question with some non-funny joke mumbo-jumbo, and he starts talking about how hard middle school is and how important it is to find the right friends and he suggests getting involved in clubs. He asks Logan what clubs he might be interested in. Logan shrugs. So I ask if there is a chess club. The counselor kind of looks surprised, and Logan gives me a look. Again, a moment of silence, so I say, "He always wants me to play chess with him." Logan gives me another look and says something that sounds like denial. 

We talk about something else for a minute and the counselor leaves to get something. Logan looks at me and says, "Really Mom, chess??" I start laughing as the counselor returns and asks why I am laughing. I say, "Apparently the chess club is a no-go." Logan gives me another look and says, "Really Mom?" The counselor shows us a form, reads through it with us word-for-word, and explains that if Logan needs help he can fill out the form and submit it anonymously. It includes things like anger management, bullying, trouble at home, etc. I almost choke on laughter. Logan looks at it like, "Why are we here?" 

Anyway, I don't know if this sounds funny to anyone else, but when we got home and I called Joe to tell him about the morning I started laughing so hard that tears started leaking out and the kids got a little alarmed. This always happens when I have mixed emotions, and it's always kind of at inappropriate times. It must be some sort of defense mechanism. (By the way, when I told Joe about the chess club comment he kind of groaned, "Oh, Jenny, really?" Am I becoming a smother mother?)

The truth is, I am kind of excited for my kids to go back to school. But every year is kind of scary. Starting a new school is kind of scary. Middle school is terrifying!! Growing up is terrifying!! And to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure I'm ready for this, and I sure hope that the kids are. Time: Slow Down! (By the way, we did eventually get to tour the 6th grade hall.)