Back to School (Part 2)

We are now in my son's third week of public school, and as expected his experience is providing much fodder for discussion and laughter around our dinner table.

For example, his favorite part of the day is lunch -- specifically hot lunch.  He started getting it during the middle of last week, after we finally figured out how to pay for it, and he's now enthralled. Yesterday he had pancakes and red peppers (yep, breakfast for lunch but they didn't forget the vegetables), and tomorrow there's bok choy on the menu. Next week, I noticed beets and jicama. Since I love to cook, and he chows edamame, he's going to fit right in. I'm delighted, since when I was in school I used to take the $1.50 my parents gave me and buy 2 packs of french fries and an ice cream sandwich to wash down with a lemonade.

During the rest of the day, he's clearly learning things.  His handwriting has improved, he sings many new songs (including with words he says are "from Africa") and he has dozens of new "favorite" books.  Moreover, he seems to earn a new smiley faced sticker each day, and brought home a green slip that says he follows directions well (glad someone does!).  While he's definitely a kid who reads above grade level, we have no indication or boredom, or frustration about the limited recess (twice a day, 15 minutes each).

My greatest amusement came this evening when I opened the school fundraiser packet from Cherrydale Farms. Here, among my options to contribute to his school, are the following items:

• frozen Auntie Anne's pretzels (WHY?)
• a ceramic zebra teapot (really?)
• a potato dicer (heard of a knife?)
• gummi worms (this seems to conflict with healthy hot lunches, yes?)
• a calendar featuring puppies doing yoga (!!!)
• a plaque that says "Our house is just a little house...but God knows where we live."
• a candy dish shaped like a Menorah

Thank goodness for the art supply kit, our choice.  Or really, how about a check?

I'm curious, how do you feel about selling things to raise money for your kids' schools? What are your favorite products to buy?

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