jane. jane. jane. jane. jane.

I'm struggling here with Jane and school. It's a lot to adjust to and I've not yet got my sea legs. I'm not sure what protocol is, how do I actually get in touch with her teacher and what do I need to talk to her about? I don't want to appear as though I'm totally aloof, but I don't want to be obnoxiously involved either. I've already decided that even though parent volunteers seem to be sorely needed, I just can't do it. With my two little ones to take care of and their weird schedules and my nerves, I think that it's best that I don't get involved there.

We've also got things like book orders and fundraisers to think about. Jane calls it the "fun-raiser" because it sounds like so much fun, so it about broke her heart when I told her that she would not be participating this year. I meant that she was too little to go around and knock on doors, asking complete strangers to buy overpriced, low quality wrapping paper and tins of chocolate. SHE ended up telling her teacher that she wasn't allowed to have anything to do with it and that her mom told her she couldn't go to the assembly, forcing her teacher to find another classroom for her to sit in while they went. She subsequently came home and cried that she was the "ONLY ONE!" that wasn't allowed. Great. That is so not what I meant. Now her teacher thinks I'm a freak.

And there's the school pictures. I was torn about the school photos. It was as though my sensible mom was in my head telling me things like

"they're overpriced!"
"they never turn out good!"
"you're getting family photos taken later!"
"don't do it!"

But then there was this other, less sensible part of me that thought...

"wait a sec, mom. you paid for school pictures for us for years before you swore off them. who are you to judge? and maybe i want them... maybe."

After throwing away the order form, I ended up going into the office the morning of the photos, getting a new one, writing a check for the cheapest package I could get and calling it good. Maybe, like my mom, I need to learn my lesson the hard way.

As it turns out, even the least expensive package provides you with a lot of smiling faces.



That's a lot of wallets, I don't know what we're going to do with them all. Want one?

So we've got the "funraiser" and the school photos out of the way this year. I'm currently in the process of working on book orders.

Hopefully I learn how to manage all of this soon because right now, I'm feeling bombarded with complications as a result of Jane's education. Who knew?