School Registration

Geez, what a week! I managed to survive it - getting the kids registered at each school, new shoes, new jeans, school supplies, bus numbers & lunch numbers & room numbers & ... *sigh* I am totally exhausted after chasing all of these things down this week LOL.

Registration was a nightmare. I am SO glad we only have to do that once a year! Zack is going into the 8th grade and Ann Marie the 4th. There was a lot of paperwork, a huge crowd, and all to go through with very bored and impatient kids.

The "parent room" at the Middle School was a real shocker. This was a classroom that was set up for parents to tour - alone, no children allowed. After being rushed from the auditorium to the library to the classrooms - all while keeping tabs on my almost-14yo and filling out papers along the way - I had no clue what I was in for when we were pointed to the "parent room"...

The first thing that caught my eye when I entered the room was an oversized computer monitor displaying a porn site. It caught me completely off guard and as I looked around the room I realized what I was in for. Song lyrics, newspaper clippings, diaries, notes, teen magazines, condoms, prescription drugs, household cleaners, you name it.

It really was an eye-opener to the environment of teens. The things they are surrounded with, from music to peers. Everything that is available to them over the counter - and even... at home.

Zack is a good kid. I'm certainly not ready to have to worry about any of that... but the sad truth is that we really should keep our eyes and ears peeled - and the lines of communication more open than ever. How sad.

But this is it - his last year at middle school. Next year it will be high school and a drivers permit... and, well I guess it all just goes from there. I guess we just do all we can, and hope for the best, right?

School starts on Monday, and I know the kids are looking forward to seeing their friends again and making new ones. As for me, I'm looking forward to having quiet work hours during the week days again! :)