Back to school!

It’s back to school.

Really.  Already.

The stores have been getting you ready to fork over your hard earned Benjamins for at least a month now.  Highlighters, colored pencils, markers, dry erase markers, folders, spirals, pencils, erasers, glue, baggies (why, no one has ever explained this required item to me)  zip drives, or thumb drives.

I would like to proudly announce or brag if you will about the sensibility of my daughter’s new school on the prairie.  That’s right.  We have a very 1980-something sensible list of required school supply items to hunt for at the big La Junta Wal-Mart this week.Pencils, paper, spirals, markers and colored pencils, one small glue and one erase r.  Done!  Really.  Hate on me now El Paso County friends.

I think it’s ridiculous to assume we all want to lay down a cool $100 for little Icky’s back to school needs.  Remember when our parents bought us supplies and we used them sparingly and when we were out, our parents would drag us into an hour long “talk” about using our resources wisely?  Ok, I bring this up because of something that has bothered me for years.  The whole back-to-school-meet-your-teacher-school-supply-redistribution routine.  That’s right, if you will kindly put your 12 dozen SHARPENED pencils in the big communal tub so that we can make sure it’s “FAIR” for the kids when we hand them out, that would be great.   I get it.  It’s easier, insert exhaustive WHINE here.  But you’re not teaching kiddos any personal responsibility when all they have to do when they need a new pencil is head to the big endless supply of community pencils.  Seriously, kids will think that giant tub will always overflow with fresh new pencils.  What about taking those bad boys to your desk and keeping track of them?  How would that be?  I mean you’d learn how to take care of your things because you would be responsible for them and when you ran out, you’d have to make that long trek home to face the supply Sargent known as MOM.  She’d ask you why you sharpened your pencils down to nothing in three short weeks because you love the sound of the automatic electric pencil sharpener….oooooooohhhh that’s so cool.  Not so cool to face your grumpy mom now, huh?  Well ok.

Besides the whole teaching responsibility thing GASP, how old fashioned, I don’t like the fact that schools take more supplies from some kids and give some to others in this big socialism school supply experiment.  I would gladly give more to kids who need them, I don’t need the schools or government telling me I’m required to do so. 

One year I belligerently obliged by going to the Christian book store and buying JESUS loves YOU pencils to put in the big community bin of endless sharpened pencils.   Yes, sure you can have my pencils.  I’m sure you won’t mind the loving Christian message on them.  Hannah got to keep her “hateful” pencils in her desk.  Yep.  I thought so.

The last thing I want you to take away from this redheaded rant is basically not really a rant.  It’s more of a plea to notice what is going on around you.  It seemed harmless to plunk your supplies down with the others but I think it sends a bad message to our kids and kinders some real growth.  A fourth grader should be old enough to be allowed to try out being responsible, and school supplies are a great place to start.  I’m not putting my daughter’s supplies in the big bin this year.  Nope.  I am NOT.  I will gladly tell anyone with ears why. 

Children are the future.  If these kids are to be responsible adults, it starts little by little as they’re still in our care.  Do you really want some snotty nosed, bratastic 30-something nursing home administrator someday making decisions on your personal well-being having grown up with this attitude and environment?

Nope.

The nursing home pudding is NOT to be re-distributed equally. Mainly because LIFE isn't equal!  It isn't.
 We all know those geezers with no teeth need more pudding than those still sportin’ their Colgate smile.

Carry on.

~Anne Boswell Taylor