My son started sixth grade this year. In our area, sixth grade is the first year of middle school/junior high.
Last night was the “parents only” open house. Actually, it involved parents, all the other siblings, but not the actual middle school attendee in tow.
It was hot. Our schools are old and have no air conditioning. They are literally falling apart. We already pay huge property taxes, but they go for things like brick pavers in the street and clocks on corners. An uppity suburb HAS to have its priorities doncha know.
Last night the parents were corralled in the gym. After the first few minutes it was standing room only. The shiny wooden bleachers were shoulder to shoulder, sweat stain to sweat stain thick, with mostly over dressed adults.
I have no problem with dressing well. For example, I am not going to show up to the Air Force Ball in anything less than a fabulous formal dress, hair and nails done to perfection. I say this because this is the second article in a row I’ve written which mentions clothing and seems “pro-casual.” I don’t want to be hypocritical. My wardrobe has far more dress clothes than casual. But, as a SAHM the occasions to wear them are few and far between. Middle school come sees, at 95 degrees, is not a dressy event in my mind.
I’ve noticed since moving here a few years ago, events involving parents seem more about fashion than the actual event. Last night for example. It was 90 degrees outside, thunder was rumbling across the sky, humidity was so thick it steamed the air.
I wore shorts and a Mississippi State T shirt, and my hair in a pony tail. Probably 95 percent of the other parents all wore some sort of formal dress pants/slacks. A lot of the women wore dresses and spiked heels. I didn’t feel uncomfortable or under dressed. I learned right after we moved here fashion rules only apply to those who play the game. Most people playing the fashion game don’t even know how they were sucked into it.
Since there is an Air Force Base close by, there are a lot of new parents who don’t know about the fashion game. That accounts for the five percent who were dressed weather appropriate. One of the 5 percent sat behind me and commented to her teenage daughter how “over dressed” everyone seemed. Yet, when the PTO President spoke I heard the same woman say, “Look how she’s dressed.” (She was wearing a tank top and shorts.) The PTO president is usually a fashion diva, but explained her son’s soccer game ran over time, thus her lack of fashion-ness.
Personally, I didn’t need an explanation.
My husband and I both attended with our rambunctious four year old. He’s a good boy, has a good heart. But the kid doesn’t know how to sit still or talk below a bellow. I address this issue every single day, but I try not to be harsh about it. I don’t want to curb the awesome personality he is growing.
He squirmed and we sweat. Heh.
Our oldest son, the actual student of the institution, was relaxing with friends in a nice air conditioned game room at church. I don’t begrudge him the time though, since he has to endure the heat daily (with some kids who don’t understand the necessity of deodorant). Yikes.
Overall, I was impressed with his teachers and the learning environment. The teacher's expect the kids to do their own projects, book reports, etc. Unlike elementary when they expect the parents to do it "with" (read for) the child. He has 7 periods with 4 minutes between classes. Some of his classrooms don’t have windows though. I couldn’t function day after day in a cement block room with no windows. I could feel the creativity being sucked out of me just the few minutes I stood there.
Of course most parents would love to have brand spanking new schools for their children, already paid for, when they move to a new community. But, we didn’t even look at the schools, only the test scores.
Live and learn.
Besides, I don’t know if we can have new schools and fashion without bankrupting the community. So new schools are O-U-T! Spank ya verra much.