The Past: August 12, 2003

Another school year started for my kids yesterday. This is Andrew’s first experience at the high school. I really do think that he liked it. He seemed to like lunch time the best. For his entire life he has had to sit where someone else wanted him to sit, eat what they wanted him to eat, and not be too happy or talk to his friends too much. Well, it’s a monumental change now let me tell you! He can sit where he wants, with whom he wants, and eat whatever he wants or not eat at all if he so chooses! He can even sit outside in the sun! I am so happy for him! It seems like a little thing, but in my experiences, the lunch ladies here are hateful, hateful people. They seem to thrive on making children miserable at lunchtime. For the past three years at Andrew’s middle school, the lunch lady, “Mrs. S”, seemed to get pure delight from embarrassing the children. At Ashley’s elementary school, she is terrified and I literally mean terrified of the lunch ladies. She has one in particular that screams the entire time. I have been told by a teacher that it would do absolutely no good to complain. Apparently, the principal believes that it is their cafeteria and they have the right to run it the way that they see fit. I think it’s a shame. Lunch time should be a time for the students to be able to talk to their friends and feel a little more relaxed. They have to be quiet most of the day in the classroom, so why not let them enjoy their lunch and breathe a little? Ahh, it’s a nice concept, but it will never happen; not anytime soon for Ashley anyway. She has many, many more years to go before she is free like Andrew is at the high school.

She didn’t want to go back today. It was this same exact way last year. You can ask her if she had a good day and you always know that she will reply, “No”. She hates it. She likes to be at home: period. You might think that things will get better and that she will get used to it. To that I say, “No”. I agree that she won’t CRY every day, but she never gets used to going through those doors every day. I hate it for her. I just pray that she is having a good day; that the teacher smiles her way or says a kind word to her, maybe even gives her a hug. I only met this teacher yesterday, so I don’t know if she gives hugs yet

I guess I sound like a parent that no teacher likes to deal with, but that is not so. I try my hardest to NOT complain. I offer to go in and help whenever I am needed, plan parties, buy supplies, whatever it takes for us to get along, I am willing to do it!