Well, it happened. Jackson came home with an assignment on his first day of preschool. The directions were attached to a large piece of white construction paper. I was supposed to help Jackson make a banner using our family name. We could trace our hand prints, glue things on it, use pictures, or do whatever we wanted to tell our family’s story. They kids would get to present their banners to the class. Having just been on a great vacation to Wyoming that produced tons of fun pictures, I thought we should put them to good use. I’ve always loved making collages, so this would be fun.
Then the questions started bombarding my mind. Does this need to look like a child did it, or do they really want me to do it? The directions said it would go on the wall, so maybe it’s supposed to be part of the room decor and it needs to look nice.
Being a first-time preschool parent, I’d never been faced with this dilemma before. BigMama’s stories about Caroline’s Fiesta float came to mind. If I err, do I want to err on the side of not good enough or too good? My perfectionist tendencies overtook my willingness to submit myself to my three-year-old’s creative genius and it came out like this.
I’m so ashamed. I did let Jackson pick out the pictures, though. And he sat beside me and cut scraps of paper while I did the work. Not that that makes it okay.
Curtis is the one who takes Jackson to school, so I called him just minutes after I knew he would have dropped him off. “Did you see the other posters?” I begged him to tell me they all looked like ours. He’d only glimpsed a corner of one and couldn’t tell. “The teacher said it looked nice.”
Nice. Is that good or bad?
As I entered the wing of classrooms to pick him up yesterday afternoon, I was faced with the humiliation of my life. There on the wall of the hallway – not inside the classroom as I had thought – the children’s artwork was prominently displayed. It took .5 seconds for me to realize that one of these things is not like the others. Every other poster had hand prints. Every other poster had evidence of a three-year-old’s art skills. Every other poster was right and ours was wrong! Wrong in big, bold letters, with brightly colored polkadot scrap paper and obnoxious Disney pictures. Wrong with our named spelled out for everyone to see! Wrong with the faces of our family, so that the horrible mother who is too OCD to do crafts with her son can be easily identified! Oh the horror!
Seriously, I’ve never been more embarrassed. All I could say to the teachers was a mild thank you as they returned my boy to me. I didn’t dare make eye contact in case I was about to get in big trouble and have to go to the principal’s office. I scurried away as fast as one can with a baby on the right hip and a leaping, bounding child holding the left hand.
I have no idea how long those posters are going to greet every single person who passes through the hallway, but I am praying to our merciful Lord that He will see that I’ve learned my lesson and let them come down soon. I don’t know how long I can bear to face my public shame!
Please, someone, comfort me in my time of trouble and tell me I’m not alone. Did you do something really dumb when your kid was in school?
I called my mom as soon as I got in the car. She was both embarrassed for me and pleased to have been given such a great laugh at my expense. I had just been to my first Motherwise meeting that morning and she said, “Honey, one day when your kids are grown and you’re helping lead something like Motherwise, that’s the story you’re going to share.” She’s probably right. But if anyone would like to go ahead and learn my lesson now, then be my guest.
Dear Amanda,
My daughter in law did the exact same assignment with the exact same perfect pride (she too is a scrapbooker) and it was darling. Not at all what a child would do but we all laughed at her first kindergarten assignment (with her not at her), lighten up have a good laugh at yourself, I told my daughter in law that it was almost as good as my son's computer project that his dad (my husband) did in the 8th grade!!! You are adorable and enjoy the humor, YOUR POSTER is great!! Shalom
Don't sweat it you did good 🙂
Oh yeah- it doesn't get any easier! It is just that my kids have never LET me get my way! They do one of those things like Travis said about Lily Kate-Dump it off before it is glued (didn't you hear his testimony?) Anyway, you have a beautiful display, you had fun, and don't look at it as a terrible reminder of when you goofed, just a beautiful display of your talent. Go ahead and let jackson do it again-shoot take it in and explain yourself, trust me, as a preschool teacher, she will understand! Don't be too hard on yourself!
I am laughing so hard because i just did the same thing for my 4 year old!! Given she is my 3rd child and between football , karate, dance, gymnastics and school , i forgot that her "family flag" was due today — so since time was limited at the breakefast table i had all the family make a handprint while i decked it out with glitter, ribbon and pictures so that she would not turn up with he first unfinished homework assingnment!! I laughed this one off as it looked very mommy done — because last week i let her go at it as she completed her "all about me" poster all by herself! Believe me you are not the first nor the last preschool mom to turn in your work with your child's name on it! It is amazing how your once oh so cute flag can be quickly over shadowed by a simple scribble done by a child — and so we continue to learn … from our children! Keep your head held high — you will get another chance for redemption as preschool projects keep coming!!
Amanda!!!
Let me just tell you that my daughter just began preschool this year too, and I have also been confused as to how much to let her do and how much to do on my own. I have been tempted to compare my child's backpack, lunchbox, and clothes with the other kids… I have worried that she will be left out or that she will be too bossy… then I (finally) surrendered to pray that she will just "be". I probably would have done the EXACT same thing as you did (I did send a decorated gift bag instead of a brown paper sack for her show and tell item). Sometimes I think I can't resist wanting her to have the best, do the best, and be the best. Unfortunately everyone's standards of the best are different. So, God always gently reminds me that His standards are the only ones that matter and as long as we are seeking to glorify Him in raising our babies, they will be the best they can be. I guess I'm just trying to encourage you not to worry about what other people may think about your (beautiful) banner! God knows your heart and is overjoyed with your desire to be an awesome preschool mom (and with your creativity)! Hope you have a wonderful day! 🙂
Honey, little people, little problems…big people (teenagers), bigger problems. Lesson learned (little problem) and God is good! It's early in the year and the teachers still have tons of energy so they will come down soon to make way for new art project I am sure!
And every mom does it at least once. Now I teach grade 5…it's the parents who are doing it still in grade 5 that I have grave concerns about…("Hmmm, yes Mrs. Smith certainly knows a lot about polar bears…I can see by her thesis that she spent a lot of time on her child's report!"–lol!)
God bless sweetheart! Praying for those posters to come down soon! <3
I have to say I really think your poster is great! We have all been there done that! Years ago my oldest son had a science project and he and his dad decided to make a metal weather vane. Well do you think it was my son who did the welding and cut the metal!!?? It looked great and our son was very proud of it and had a great time with his dad making it. I remember thinking…hmmmm probably doesn't look like Trevor made it!!!
Oh Amanda.. you are SOOO not alone! Just take it as another opportunity to repeat the humility mantra – "it's not about me, it's not about me, it's not about me!" Works every time!
God still loves you, Jackson sure does too, and now his preschool teachers know who to call for help with special art projects!!
as a former preschool teacher, I can assure you the teacher was just glad to get posters without WET glue or peanut butter dripping off them!
And as a mom, been there, done that! I have learned a bit in 9 years of parenting…if I err I err on the side that I let my kid make his own mistakes…hoping it will help him learn his lessons before leaving home!
grace to you, girl, as a firsttimer, there is grace! So hold your head high and know other parents just think your kid's a genius!! 🙂
ummmm your dog ate the original?
The last week of preschool my daughter's teacher had them make garden hats and they could decorate them however they liked. They had to glue little fake flowers, butterflies or little birdhouses to the top of a paper plate then punch holes on either side and string ribbon through and wear it in front of the class. Well, I had the perfect idea. We were off to our local Ben Franklin where I spent who knows how much on supplies while she was off looking at the little plastic dollies. We came home where I proceeded to glue, fasten, and harness all of our cute birdies, birdhouses and whatever else I could fit on this paper plate. Keep in mind I did glue stryofoam on there and smothered it in fake grass so that I could insert the birdhouses in that so they would not fall off! Upon completion my daughter just looked at this poor paper plate that was weighed down by all of the beautiful plastic flowers, butterflies, birdhouses and fake grass and didn't seem at all excited. But I of course could not wait for her to display it for all to see. The day finally came and all the parents were there. My daughter in her cute little dress and her hat fastened as tight as can be on her head started up to the front of the class with her beautiful garden hat that mommy made on her head. My husband quickly elbowed me and said, "What did you make!!!!" Then I realized what I had done. The hat WAS HUGE. She couldn't even walk at a normal pace. She had to carefully put one foot in front of the other so her hat wouldn't fall off because it was so top-heavy. All the other kids DID make their own hats and were quickly passing her up to get to the front of the class to display theirs. I WAS SO EMBARRASSED!!! I was mortified and so was my daughter. Now, she is almost 17 and we get a good laugh out if it every once in awhile. Just relax, and know that you are not the only mother on this planet that has been a little overzealous at times. You still have a lot of years left….enjoy every minute and laugh when you need to!
Amanda,
You have just helped thousands of moms and grandmothers and countless others that you cannot fathom.
Moms that haven't had to make this decision yet now know without a doubt that the work needs to be the childs.
Moms that have erred on the side of perfection have been reminded that the best way to learn is by doing and not watching someone else. These moms include toddler moms and moms of childeren in school (K-12), college and beyond.
This lesson is not just about school work but how to function within a family unit and within society in general.
Grandmothers can now remember when they walked down this same path. They may have opportunities in the future to discuss with new moms issues similar to this one.
There may be a believer who comes into contact with non-believing moms. This point may be an opportunity to open discussions that lead to someone's salvation.
The possibilities are endless because God can take a small thing like a poster and use that for good throughout the kingdom.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful lesson with your "siestas". I have been down this path and I still occasionally add to the stack of t-shirts received from doing rather than guiding or just simply watching.
Yours in Christ,
Phyllis
My boys saw the poster and all they could say was, "Hey! We have a picture of our head in Jaws at Disney World too! COOL!!" So, if my children were in Jackson's preschool class he would have just scored big time and then they would have run off and pretended to kill sharks together over in the science center area and probably been put in time out for talking about guns and hunting and they would have said "what's the big deal?" because that's what their papa's talk about and they think it's cool. My point is this: Jackson is the only person besides you that really matters in this story and absolutely none of it has registered with him but for the memories he made with mommy and sissy talking about all the fun things they did this summer as they glued pictures on a polka dot poster. Good mama!
Amanda, you and I are a lot alike! I had such a hard time letting my children do those things and then stressing when I found out that other parents actually let their children do their own work as well! You know what – do not stress over this. Relax and enjoy your children and learn lessons and move on. Thank God above for the blessings He gives. I love your collage by the way! Looks like it should be put on a wall at home somewhere to me! You are very creative. Siesta Dana
Amanda,
I faced just the opposite. In 2nd grade my son had to make a dinosaur for class. I let him create the project by himself with minimal input. When we walked into his classroom, I discovered that every other parent had "helped" their child. I felt so bad for him because his was the only one that looked like a second grader made it. I felt so guilty!! He is in college now and doesn't even remember the incident. God is good!
Amanda,
Join the ranks of Mothers with boys. I have three wonderful boys and a fiesty little girl. If there is any art work to be done at our house by the boys, you can bet your bottom dollar that I did it (for them!) With now a 6th grader, I am trying to back off, but it is so hard. They are boys and they don't really care about coloring, cutting, or pasting (or how it looks in the end)! You might need to loosen up for your little lady! They like to do it "by myself" as my little lady says!
FYI–I think you did a wonderful job on the family poster!! Just promise me you won't do his 6th grade homework for him! haha!
Emily T.
Florence, AL
4 wild and crazy children!
(11, 9, 7, 4)
A project for an older child-
Pick out a flag design,get the cloth,buy a design to follow if you are not artistic(I am not),get some Stitch-Witchery.
It is a good idea to wash and iron the material before making the flag,especially if it is new cloth.
On the solid back ground,place the pieces of the flag-stripes,stars etc.. per the flag.
When you are sure you have everything correct cut the Stitch-Witchery and iron the pieces into place.
After it cools,if your child wants to baste it or run it through the sewing machine for a for finished look,make sure the pieces are securely attached.
haha! i'm an artist – mostly a painter, but also a sketcher. imagine my pain at watching my 3 year old son "paint" and glue, cut, etc all those kinds of projects! i'd had enough input from other moms to know to TRY to sit on my hands, and i'm thankful for their wisdom with which the good Lord helped me do just that – most of the time 😉 those times i didn't i tried to hide the finished projects so they wouldn't be on display in our home (i hang my head at that!). but now that he's 8, i LOVE looking back at all those first attempts and the budding artist within him! yes, i kept a great deal of all those works of art (those done by HIM, not me!), and they all bring back such great memories 🙂 they're even proudly displayed on the Christmas tree now, and packed away again with GREAT loving care 🙂 it sounds like you've already learned the lesson 🙂 just bring duct tape to the table with you when you sit down with him for his next project 😉 it's amazing how much your appreciation for those masterpieces will grow over the years!
Can't Jackson make his own banner this weekend? Maybe the teacher will let you substitute Jackson's banner for yours.
🙂
But yours did look really nice and yes, I would have done the same thing, being of similar personality.
Oh Bless you! I'm still going through that with both of my kids and they're in Middle School! It's hard to realize that it is they're project and they should do the work themselves.
When my daughter was in second grade, "we" had the assignment of dressing President Zackary Taylor. It was like playing paper dolls all over again but we could use fabric, buttons, ribbon, metal buttons.
After doing research on "our president", off to the craft craft store "we" went.
"We" began going aisle by aisle, skeen by skeen trying to find the right color and kind of fabric for his pants, then "we" needed a different color for is his shirt. Then we needed something different and unique to make his jacket.
Then it was time to embellish. We needed black velvet ribbon, at least 6 different kinds of buttons, 3 different kinds of metal things that could resemble metal. Then we needed leather to look like "real" boots. And then we also needed to make a hat.
As the cashier was ringing out our order, I am picturing in my head all the great ideas "we" came up with and how exactly we were going to assemble and dress "our" president. My thoughts interrupted by my second grader telling me that she is hungry, and the cashier saying "Your total comes to $35 and something cents.
After dinner that night, "we laid out all our materials. Somewhere been laying them all out and cutting the last item for "our" outfit my second grader decided to watch television. She offered to help me but I remembered the voice of the cashier saying $35 something and I told my daughter that "we" didn't want to mess it up because it cost us alot of money.
After "we" finished cutting out and gluing the clothes to our paper doll, it was really starting to come together. I called my second grader over to get her input. She was thrilled. After she picked out the buttons, metals and ribbons it was time to glue it. I really wanted her to help me with the gluing, but I was afraid of her getting burnt with the glue gun, so I continued on cutting, gluing and my second grader disappeared to do something in her room. When the whole thing was done I called for her and came in and was pleased with "her" assignment.
So off to school she and "her" assignment went. I waited anxiously day after day to see what she grade she got.
After days of not knowing what "she" got on her assignment I realized that I would find out at teacher conferences.
When I got to school, I scanned the wall until I found Zachary Taylor. I didn't see any kind of grade on it, so I just had to ask the teacher. The teacher answered "She got an "A" and that "I" did a really good job. Lesson learned.
Amanda,
I am a school nurse at an elementary school in SC. Today a 1st grader happily brought his "All About Me" poster in to school. It was beautiful. I asked if he did it, and he said "No, my Mom did it. Don't you like it?" I told him it was great and he was very happy with it. Lots of smiles all over his little face.
I thought you would like to know that you were not the only mom to help!
All I can say is learn it now. When my son was in the 9th grade, he had to work on a time capsule to be opened on class night of his 12th grade year. He had to put various pages of collage pictures. I still thought he needed me to help him at times. That's why I didn't argue with him about taking an honors biology class because I knew he would expect me to help him with the leaf and bug collection. I know that's REALLY pitiful. He is now senior class president and is responsible for poster parties for pep rallies. I am still picking up streamers and paint sticks on occasion instead of making him do it. He is a wonderful son but you probably need to pray for me.
Last year I was certain that my son's teacher didn't like me very well. I decided to "help" my son make some super incredible valentines to show her just how committed to preschool we were. We bought little…wait…I bought little red plastic shovels. We…wait…I filled little cellophane bags with candy and tied them on to the shovels with red raffia. I then wrote "I Dig You" on each shovel with a white marker. My son signed his name to about half of the handmade tags before he was bored and moved on. NO ONE ELSE IN THE CLASS did anything but give the boxed cards. I alienated us. I'm SO right there with ya!
When we're in Heaven, we can just all sit around and laugh. Those of us that do the projects for our kids, and those of us that let the kids do their projects. Its' hard to know either way. But I can tell you this, when my 3rd grade boy gets into 5th grade, and he has to have a multi-media, shoe box diarama, book report – his Mom and Dad are SO going to get an A+
Peace,
Kim Feth
Apex, NC
I thought it was beautiful. If it helps when my daughter was in 5th grade, she had to do a family tree. Hubs went outside and cut branches from a real tree and leaves at the end it looked like a real tree and in some leaves it had fam pictues, he even glued a bit of dirt/grass actually it was quite phenomenal. ..my daughter loved it, but was a bit "conscious" when she returned! she said hers was over the top, hubs responded by saying "we ARE ove the top" you should aim to do everything like that! LOL, she has, she's a Jenior this year, Junior taking Senior classes to graduate this year. . . I love your collage, I can't wait for my kindergardener to do a project this year 🙂
We have a Spongebob Valentine's box…this OCD mom had it down to the very details…looking at a picture of Spongebob so as to not make one mistake. The little boy I made that for is now a sophomore in high school…and Spongebob is still around! I'm sure you made memories with Jackson..and a story to tell him when he's older!
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Colossians 3:12 NIV
karen, Livermore,CA
Amanda,
From one OCD mom to another, I love this post!!! I have a 4 yr. old, 3 yr. old , and 11 month old boys and I have found myself in this same debate, do I help or don't I help, when it comes to preschool projects. Currently, my husband is out of work so my kids did not return to preschool this year. I've started homeschooling this year so I don't have to worry about what the teacher thinks. 🙂
For the record, I love your project and it really captures some fun family memories. Recently, my 4 year old out of the blue said he wanted to ask Jesus in his heart. We did a little cake project that highlights his decision and if you ever have time to check it out, you will see from the final cake, I've come a LONG way in doing the project myself. 🙂 (July 17, 2009 post). Good luck! This will always be a funny memory and moment with plenty more to come. Thanks for sharing!
Kristen
Take it from a Preschool teacher – You can't do it wrong! (just differently – which isn't a bad thing!) I always like to see anything that a child and parent have done together, not just the parent's work.
Oh Amanda…I do feel sorry for ya, dear. But at a school nurse who often hears the 'teacher lounge' converstations, I bet everyone now knows who the Jones's are! ( and that's a good thing-you are a wonderful family)
Cheer up…..the poster is very nice!! And Jackson doesn't seem to mind at all….:)
Oh yes, I have so totally done things like that. Embarassing! Absolutely! And I think the other moms were probably wishing they had thought of your idea to use for their kids. Hang in there. I think having and raising children is more about becoming who we are supposed to be…than anything else.
ok…i'm CRACKIN' up! of course mine are young and i haven't done that yet, but it does sound like something i'd do! thank goodness my sitter paints with them…or they would have only done it a few times so far!
i'm a teacher and i see a lot of projects come through the doors and some are the kiddos work and some are obviously NOT!
Amanda, My oldest son went to a Christian Daycare and I was 21 years old, On Halloween, I bought him his first outfit, I thought it was so cute and sent him right into school with it on that day, It was a little devil outfit, red, tail and horns, the whole thing….I didn't mean to, I didn't even think about it, but about half way through the day, I thought " Oh No" and it dawned on me what it might look like in the middle of other 1 year old little angels…I was mortified…….Thankfully, his teacher never said a word, but I have never forgotten it….
Don't worry, it will not be your last Mommy mistake you make and it will all be fine………….
Love,
Lisa
Oh the pressure of those assignments from school! I had to help make a poster for my son last week, and from what I'd seen from previous years, I agonized over the fact that ours wouldn't look as nice as the others. The past ones have been done by the mothers, for sure, and I have been that mom who's refused to get into scrapbooking because I know that I have no time and certainly not the money to keep up with it! However, I seem to be the only mom who DOESN'T do that, so I don't have all the cute supplies so readily available! So, I guess I was feeling a different kind of pressure! 🙂
By the way, yours looked VERY cute and it's probably not as bad as you think… Make sure you post a picture of the next assignment! 🙂
Okay Amanda, never fear. I have taught almost every grade from 4 year old preschool to 8th grade and I can tell you that for the younger grades projects are meant to be an activity where parents model for their children how to complete a project. Let's face it, most of the projects that children come home with are too difficult for them to complete. Shoot, they wouldn't even know where to start most of the time.
So, feel confident that you have done the right thing. You have done your parently duty. You just happen to be more creative than most moms.
Your Jones collage was beautiful! I would have given it an A plus.
Let my children do their own homework! Got it! I had the opposite experience though. I just let my fourth grader last year do his own science project and they did a fairly good job (he did it with a friend), but it was pretty obvious most of the other kids had had some guidance from their parents. But I wasn't embarrassed, cause I was not the only parent of a child on this project. Besides I saw a few others that were similar. Granted most of them were made by kindergartners, but oh, well.
Sweet Amanda-
When my daughter was three years old I painted her room in a garden theme and let her "help" me finger paint some pretty flowers. I look back in anguish how I corrected her and made her paint them MY way just so her room would be "perfect"- UGH! Her elementary projects were always over-the-top and clearly designed by an OCD mom.
Take heart, my daughter is now in 7th grade and quite the masterful artist. She produces over-the-top projects all by herself!
You are a wonderful parent, thank you for sharing a glimpse of your life. I treasure your willingness to be so real with the rest of us
moms who are a work in progress. God Bless you!!
Oh Amanda, can you see from all the posts that you are in good company?
I remember chatting with another (also harried) mom just outside of the preschool classroom door and I wondered aloud "Is it just me or does it seem like every other mom around here got some secret manual and knows how to do all this stuff?" The poor woman looked at me like she was about to cry and nodded her head.
There is no manual for this and they only one we can really rely on is The Manual. And if we read it right, we will remember where our strength and confidence really comes from.
My kids are now 6 and 8 and I STILL find myself looking for that secret manual! (Why does every other mom know how to braid hair better than I can? Nobody told me that a boy can think a big honkin' wart on his toe is kinda cool and not tell Mom until she sees it and freaks out? How many other moms saw that wart before I did?)
This is why we have the sisterhood of motherhood!
Amanda,
The EXACT thing just happened to me today!! My first grader turned in her "family tree" project. I felt SO guilty when her giant sized poster stuck out above all the others!!!! She helped glue and color and I used it as a fun time to teach her our TRUE heritage in Christ, but I should have let her put it together. It was obvious I helped way to much!
Great laugh, Amanda! My own son started preschool yesterday. It's a special ed preschool, so he can attend even though he's only going to be 3 in November. Well, he's not potty-trained yet, so I sent the diaper bag with him. Of course, all the other kids had brand new backpacks, not diaper bags! Oops! I guess I could have put diapers in a backpack too, right? Well, we will have to shop for one next time I am to the "big city".
Dear Amanda, What would be dumb is for you to think that your project was perfectly wonderful and acceptable. While yours was very attractive, you realize how much better it would have been if Jackson had done a bit more. So forgive yourself. You have learned a lesson, and trust me …you'll have many opportunities to mess up again. The good news is, Jackson will grow up untainted by this mistake and the many others you will certainly make. Blessings to you and your family.
KATHYsweet amanda, we all do this. you are a grear mom and jackson is so blessed to have you. i am a 3yr preschool teacher in canton, ga. and we sent the same project home, 8 out of ten were design by there proud mom's. i thinks you did a great job. all the other mom,s are wishing theres look so good. you are awsome. do not stop being this kind of mom. kathy hulsey
I didn't help my kids enough, I let it be there work, too, and I didn't realize that wasn't the point. Everybody had slick projects and my kids were ashamed. I felt so bad. It's a tight rope to walk. To inspire them to do their best, give them resources, help a little, but also polish enough for it to get by. This is only pre=school. I ended up writing my son's whole senior project just so he could graduate his senior year, we moved North, and he wasn't prepared at all! Sometimes they need a little more help.
OMG, I did the same thing with my daughter when she was 2. For her birthday at her preschool we were to bring a "celebration of life" poster, with pictures of her first to years of life. I dutifully got out the scrapbooking supplies, and didn't let my daughter anywhere near it. The teacher was afraid to use it for the birthday celebration because she didn't want it to get messed up! And, she shoved it out the door with me when I picked my daughter up that day — she didn't want to be responsible for it AND she didn't want the other moms to see it! When I saw what other "life" posters looked like over the next few weeks as other kiddos had birthdays… well, I quickly realized the err of my ways.
It was a darn cute poster though! Too big to save it forever, but I did take pictures of it… to put in our scrapbook, of course!
and my word verification is "ever ego" ha! how appropriate!
Kathy Little is so right! What a GREAT idea! A sit-com based on Beth Moore's family!! One you could watch with your kids!! Any producers out there? Or to be even more current, a reality t.v. show! Come on now, I know I'm not the only nosy one out here that would love to be a fly on the wall in the Moore household and on their trips and their daughters! But seriously, it probably would be a great show.
Thank you for that laugh, Amanda! I LOVE your honesty! I have been there….still am. I have 5 kids, and I am ALWAYS tempted to do their work, so it will be PERFECT and not childish! I totally understand…. The funny thing is, the other mothers were probably embarrassed that their child's project didn't look as good as Jackson's! I remember "letting go" once and letting my twin girls do their own work 🙂 , and then I was so embarrassed to see the other kids' projects….and I felt like , "It looks like I don't love my children enough to help them!" I guess there's always something! 🙂
I can tell, from reading your sweet blogs, that you are doing a fantastic job, Amanda. Your children are blessed, blessed, blessed!!
Oh Amanda, that was a perfectly understandable error. I mean, he's only 3 – I wouldn't have imagined that the teacher expected the kids to do everything alone. In any case, word of advice: always ask the teacher what his/her expectations are for parent involvement because it changes from year to year and even from assignment to assignment. As some have mentioned – I've experienced the opposite horror: letting my daughter do something "on her own" and getting to school and seeing that is totally not what everyone else did!
Amanda, I have been thinking about your post and how much I can relate since you posted. I thought you might appreciate hearing about MY day today. My son has had some adjustment problems in preschool. Today was only his 3rd day, but I had already gotten a call on day 2 to come get him early because he was crying so much.
Today, I brought my phone with me to spin class just in case, and sure enough, toward the end of class, it rang–only it was my husband. I pushed "ignore", only to have it ring again 30 seconds later. I picked it up again and said, "I'm in spin class, can I call you back?" and heard a woman sputtering into the phone. Not just any woman, mind you, but the preschool principal. She was calling to tell me that my son had had not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 potty accidents in 2 hours and she was concerned.
I got there to pick him up and he was just tickled to be sporting a pair of plaid seersucker capris and someone else's Spiderman underwear. I apologized profusely to the teacher, all the while thinking of the walk of shame I was going to have to make dragging this horrendously mis-matched kid to the car. But it got worse–through the course of the conversation, the teacher mentioned Show and Tell (which I had completely forgotten), and how they just used the books that I had sent in for the classroom as my son's "special toy". (Because I'm sure he loved showing books largely gleaned from his sister's library.)
Ugh! Our "All About Me" poster is due on Thursday and I am determined to redeem myself! Hope your son's class' posters have come down to make room for the inevitable apple artwork by now!
I would've done the exact same thing!!! hA HA HA HAH. FUNNY