Five Days Out of Seven

Five Days Out of Seven


Five days out of seven, I spend my days at school;
from nine to five I really try to obey all of the rules.
I’ve been coming here since I was young, just a little baby;
but now I’m grown and must move on, taking all you’ve taught me.
From circle time to sharing time and every time in between,
I’ve grown so much, I’ve learned so much, from everything I’ve seen.
From crawling and walking to penmanship and math;
you’ve shown me right from wrong and kept me on my path.

Five days out of seven, I report to class each day;
Hoping after class is over, we’ll have some time to play.
You taught me how to write my name and one plus one is two.
You never made me feel that you had better things to do.
There may have been days that I didn’t listen, when I was out of line;
you took the time to make sure that my punishment fit the crime.
The lessons that I’ve learned here will guide me through my days,
you’ve helped me become a better person in, oh, so many ways.

Five days out of seven, you’ve watched me learn and grow,
you are to thank for teaching me half of what I know.
I know that I will miss Justice Juniors and my friends here.
I will cherish every memory, every moment so dear.
My teachers here are more than that, they’re more like family,
so, thank you for everything, Miss Monica and Miss Niki.
And though my days at school with you are filled with so much fun;
it’s with a heavy heart I say, “kindergarten, here I come!”
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This is the poem that I wrote to present and read to the teachers at my little boy's preschool graduation on Thursday. I'm sure I'll be a blubbering mess, but I think I can get through it. I cannot believe my baby is going off to kindergarten.

What do you know? He does pay attention - when it suits him!

Before kids, before marriage, shortly after buying our house together, Shawn and I divvied up the house chores. Due to my compulsive shopping habits and Shawn's lack of enjoyment of yard maintenance, it was decided that I would mow the lawn and Shawn would do the grocery shopping. We are content with this set up.

A few years later, after marriage and children, this is still our arrangement. However, Shawn is now trying to convince Nick that it is not helpful when he puts one of each brand of fruit snacks into the cart and I'm constantly shutting off the mower before Evan sticks his hands under it. Chores are much more difficult and time consuming when you bring children into the mix.

This past Sunday Shawn announced that it was time to go to the store. Nick adamantly states that he does not want to go, he is staying home with mommy. Evan is in the corner trying to put his sandals on the wrong feet. Typically, whichever child accompanies Shawn to the grocery store gets to pick out a car off the Hot Wheels rack. Nick is torn weekly because he wants the car, but he doesn't want to go. This week he begs Shawn to get him a car even though he's not going. Shawn doesn't commit either way.

An hour or so later Shawn and Evan come in the house - Evan showing off his brand new aquamarine Camaro. Nick asks 1,000 times per second, "did you get me a car daddy?" Shawn tells him to calm down, he did get him a car, it's in one of the bags and he'll get it in a minute. Nick tears through every bag until he finds it.

While I'm putting away squashed bread and dented canned goods (thanks Nick) Nick finds his new car. He flips it over and discovers that, much to his chagrin, Daddy has picked out a PURPLE car. Nick throws the car onto the ground and declares, "I don't like this car. This car is purple. I HATE the color purple!" Shawn and I are stunned by this. This is not our child. Our Nicholas is always grateful when someone gives him a gift. Who is this person and what did they do with our boy?

Before Shawn is able to correct him, I jump in and lecture my child, "you do not get to act like an ungrateful little brat! Daddy was nice enough to buy you a car even though you didn't go to the grocery store with him. You thank someone when they give you a gift - even if you don't like it. Now apologize to your father!"

Nick hangs his head in shame and apologizes to Shawn. Shawn explains that, had Nick gone with him to the store, he could have picked out whichever car he wanted. Nick tries to make everything better by picking up the car, handing it over to me and telling me that I can keep it because purple is my favorite color.

I'm back in the kitchen and continue to unload groceries. I pull out the cottage cheese that Shawn bought for my breakfasts this week. Yuck! It's store brand cottage cheese in a ginormous container. This is not the cute little individual serving Breakstone's cottage cheese I was expecting. I say to Shawn, "eew, this is yucky cottage cheese. Why didn't you get the good stuff?" Nick responds smugly, "mommy, don't be ungrateful! Be glad that daddy got you any cottage cheese!"

Now I'm torn. Am I to be grateful that he absorbed the point we were trying to make by correcting him or am I angry that he's mouthing off at his mother? Guess it doesn't matter because, in the end, I know that I'm amused and laughing my ass off.