I went to my
last Back to School Night tonight. It was not bittersweet. And it is not the last
Back to School Night my kids’ schools will hold. In man-years, I should have
another 11 Back to School Nights to go. But I won’t. Because, after 28 man-year
Back to School Nights, I am done.
There is the
pitch from the principal at the outset, introducing the PTA president and the
staff, and talking of the all-kids-go-to-college theme of the school.
And there is
the pitch in each classroom for parental involvement, parental attention, and
tissues and paper towels.
And there is
me, who walks away not even halfway through the 28th Back to School
Night – harboring a high school junior, a high school sophomore, and a sixth
grader – who thinks, “What the ever fucking hell am I doing here?” And so I
walk away, and I come home early to the pulled pork that has been brewing all
day, and I pop open a Lime-A-Rita and make myself a pulled pork sandwich and
explain to all who want to hear that I am done.
I can do no
more.
3 comments:
I abhor Back to School Nights and have even less of them under my belt than you!
We had our last one, but that's because my child is a senior this year. WOW, that went fast.
I may be weird, but I like back to school night. I like my kid's school, and I like meeting her teachers and knowing who she'll be spending her days with.
I suspect this may be because I am strange, and also because I have an only child.
Oh, j, I hear you. But I don't hear you.
Post a Comment