I can't believe it's been five years since we applied for passports. Victoria's passport expired this year and the process for children is pretty much like applying all over again. In the last five years they seem to have gotten their act together for single parents. The questions on the application, and the directions, seem much clearer for single parents than before.
Victoria is thrilled to be rid of the pixie-cut photo on her old passport. Eighty-five dollars and ten minutes in the post office, and we should be good to go for August!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Memories of third grade field trip
Wed Nov 09, 2005
Given the problems we have had with this year's teacher, and several situations where safety was an issue, I volunteered to the school's principal to chaperone each and every field trip. Actually I volunteered to develop a chaperone training but no one liked my idea. The last field trip did not have enough chaperones and the teacher sent home a note saying the children were running and it was dangerous. Attending field trips is the only way I am comfortable ensuring for my child's safety.
The note came home on November 2 dated October 31. It announced a field trip to the Science Center in West Hartford for November 9. Chaperones must pay 6.00 and children 7.50. I hustled over to the bank for exact change and sent in the money requesting to be a chaperone, please contact me if there is a problem. No contact. Victoria isn't sure I am a chaperone because her teacher has indicated OTHER parents are chaperones, but has not mentioned me.
Last night at basketball practice, I had a conversation with a mother in the other third grade class. She was to chaperone today and was sent home a note indicating she ought to bring a bagged lunch, wear comfortable shoes, what time to arrive and what to expect. I was noteless.
I show up at school at 9:05am, knowing OTHER chaperones are expected to be there for 9:15am. Eli's father is there to chaperone and the teacher gave a stern lecture to Eli on how she did not choose his father to be a chaperone and due to his inconsideration, now his father had taken a day off for nothing. Eli's father held strong and said to his son in front of the teacher, "You made a mistake buddy, I don't want you to feel badly about this. We are going to have a great day." He told me he was ordered to attend by his wife and there was no way he was not going. He said he does not like this teacher and we agreed we ought to get together soon.
We all waited in the class as the teacher asked a child to get her a tea bag, another child for half n half, another child was sent to close a door, and the entire class was silent for two full minutes while she tried to figure out what tomorrow's hot lunch choice was so she could take orders. It was interesting to see her in action. We were given our assignments. I was not surprised to see my group of three contained Victoria and the two toughest girls.
The teacher was on the phone or whatever device she has sticking in her ear, and said it is NOT ok for a parent to follow the bus to the Center. She sends a child to get the principal. The principal came in and explained she could not prevent the parents from following the bus and going to a public place.
At 9:25am the other teacher announced the bus was ready to leave. Our teacher was still sending kids to the bathroom. We boarded the bus, some kids sat three to a seat. We left at 9:45am when we were to leave at 9:30am. It was an excruciating hour drive on a school bus constantly telling kids to sit down. I sat near Eli's father and the other four rows of seats behind us all had kids. The teachers all sat up front, near each other. The little girl sitting next to me shows me a pair of pants she has in her backpack. I asked why she brought pants with her and she said, "In case I have an accident." Great.
On the bus two in my group are fighting with each other. One girl is crying. I must have looked perplexed because all of the children explained to me they always fight. Always? Yes, always. Why are they in the same group? They looked puzzled. It was clear, I was being punished. This teacher is dumber than I thought, giving me two challenging children. Little did she know I had a bag of chocolate and was not afraid to use it.
We arrived at the Science Center at 11am. We are half an hour later than planned and immediately went into our project. One of my group members had difficulty working with her partner and seems to have some impulse control difficulties. I liked her though. Victoria worked with her two friends, one of which speaks no English. She called Victoria Victori. Cute kid. I would have liked her in my group because I need to brush up on Spanish.
After the project, which most found boring, we went to use the bathrooms then went back to the bus to eat our lunch. This is truly torture. After thirty minutes and a million times of passing trash up, we exit the bus once again and have approximately one hour in the Science Center. All the children have been counting, recounting, stealing, waving and showing their money for hours and were looking forward to the gift shop.
Thirty minutes in the gift shop. Kids with five dollars wanted items that were twelve dollars and other children were given six dollars but would only spend one. Victoria was using her allowance and was willing to spend it all on yet more stuffed animals. We have bags full of stuffed animals. Oh heck, we have rooms full of stuffed animals.
Eli's father and I walked around the museum looking at animals and exhibits. When we got to an area I'd stand by the exit. I was positive one of my group was going to be lost. It occurred to me I didn't even know their last names. Realizing they were really behaving as best as they could, I passed candy out discretely. We don't want other children to know we are breaking the rules.
We walked over to another exhibit room and I hear my group in a sing song to their fellow classmates, "Victoria's Mom gave us candy, Victoria's mom gave us candy neener neener neener."
What else could I do? I had already given them the candy. I sang back, "If you don't be quiet you're not getting any moooooore."
Silence! Gotta love it.
We were to board the bus at 1:30pm because it was going to take longer to get back than planned. I gathered my group up to head to the bus and I passed the teacher who was saying, "Let's go see the dinosaurs" to her group.
We boarded the bus, which had parents and kids, but no teachers. The teachers were all late. Victoria asked for her gift bag and I realized I had left it somewhere inside. Victoria immediately cried and I ran off the bus in search. Someone had found it. Disaster averted.
The bus ride home was twice as long as the bus ride there, or at least it felt like it. The little girl next to me said, "I'm so proud of myself for not wetting today." Me too. Me too.
Given the problems we have had with this year's teacher, and several situations where safety was an issue, I volunteered to the school's principal to chaperone each and every field trip. Actually I volunteered to develop a chaperone training but no one liked my idea. The last field trip did not have enough chaperones and the teacher sent home a note saying the children were running and it was dangerous. Attending field trips is the only way I am comfortable ensuring for my child's safety.
The note came home on November 2 dated October 31. It announced a field trip to the Science Center in West Hartford for November 9. Chaperones must pay 6.00 and children 7.50. I hustled over to the bank for exact change and sent in the money requesting to be a chaperone, please contact me if there is a problem. No contact. Victoria isn't sure I am a chaperone because her teacher has indicated OTHER parents are chaperones, but has not mentioned me.
Last night at basketball practice, I had a conversation with a mother in the other third grade class. She was to chaperone today and was sent home a note indicating she ought to bring a bagged lunch, wear comfortable shoes, what time to arrive and what to expect. I was noteless.
I show up at school at 9:05am, knowing OTHER chaperones are expected to be there for 9:15am. Eli's father is there to chaperone and the teacher gave a stern lecture to Eli on how she did not choose his father to be a chaperone and due to his inconsideration, now his father had taken a day off for nothing. Eli's father held strong and said to his son in front of the teacher, "You made a mistake buddy, I don't want you to feel badly about this. We are going to have a great day." He told me he was ordered to attend by his wife and there was no way he was not going. He said he does not like this teacher and we agreed we ought to get together soon.
We all waited in the class as the teacher asked a child to get her a tea bag, another child for half n half, another child was sent to close a door, and the entire class was silent for two full minutes while she tried to figure out what tomorrow's hot lunch choice was so she could take orders. It was interesting to see her in action. We were given our assignments. I was not surprised to see my group of three contained Victoria and the two toughest girls.
The teacher was on the phone or whatever device she has sticking in her ear, and said it is NOT ok for a parent to follow the bus to the Center. She sends a child to get the principal. The principal came in and explained she could not prevent the parents from following the bus and going to a public place.
At 9:25am the other teacher announced the bus was ready to leave. Our teacher was still sending kids to the bathroom. We boarded the bus, some kids sat three to a seat. We left at 9:45am when we were to leave at 9:30am. It was an excruciating hour drive on a school bus constantly telling kids to sit down. I sat near Eli's father and the other four rows of seats behind us all had kids. The teachers all sat up front, near each other. The little girl sitting next to me shows me a pair of pants she has in her backpack. I asked why she brought pants with her and she said, "In case I have an accident." Great.
On the bus two in my group are fighting with each other. One girl is crying. I must have looked perplexed because all of the children explained to me they always fight. Always? Yes, always. Why are they in the same group? They looked puzzled. It was clear, I was being punished. This teacher is dumber than I thought, giving me two challenging children. Little did she know I had a bag of chocolate and was not afraid to use it.
We arrived at the Science Center at 11am. We are half an hour later than planned and immediately went into our project. One of my group members had difficulty working with her partner and seems to have some impulse control difficulties. I liked her though. Victoria worked with her two friends, one of which speaks no English. She called Victoria Victori. Cute kid. I would have liked her in my group because I need to brush up on Spanish.
After the project, which most found boring, we went to use the bathrooms then went back to the bus to eat our lunch. This is truly torture. After thirty minutes and a million times of passing trash up, we exit the bus once again and have approximately one hour in the Science Center. All the children have been counting, recounting, stealing, waving and showing their money for hours and were looking forward to the gift shop.
Thirty minutes in the gift shop. Kids with five dollars wanted items that were twelve dollars and other children were given six dollars but would only spend one. Victoria was using her allowance and was willing to spend it all on yet more stuffed animals. We have bags full of stuffed animals. Oh heck, we have rooms full of stuffed animals.
Eli's father and I walked around the museum looking at animals and exhibits. When we got to an area I'd stand by the exit. I was positive one of my group was going to be lost. It occurred to me I didn't even know their last names. Realizing they were really behaving as best as they could, I passed candy out discretely. We don't want other children to know we are breaking the rules.
We walked over to another exhibit room and I hear my group in a sing song to their fellow classmates, "Victoria's Mom gave us candy, Victoria's mom gave us candy neener neener neener."
What else could I do? I had already given them the candy. I sang back, "If you don't be quiet you're not getting any moooooore."
Silence! Gotta love it.
We were to board the bus at 1:30pm because it was going to take longer to get back than planned. I gathered my group up to head to the bus and I passed the teacher who was saying, "Let's go see the dinosaurs" to her group.
We boarded the bus, which had parents and kids, but no teachers. The teachers were all late. Victoria asked for her gift bag and I realized I had left it somewhere inside. Victoria immediately cried and I ran off the bus in search. Someone had found it. Disaster averted.
The bus ride home was twice as long as the bus ride there, or at least it felt like it. The little girl next to me said, "I'm so proud of myself for not wetting today." Me too. Me too.
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