Tomorrow is the first day of school!! We have spent the requisite $38,591 on school supplies. My daughter is going into fourth grade and is still young enough to be excited about a new school year. My boys are going into seventh and ninth grades and don’t want summer to end.
Yesterday I trekked over to the high school–a brand new building here–oldest son in tow, to pick up his schedule and give him a chance to find his way around the school. It was a madhouse, with everyone from all grades there to get their first peek at the newly-constructed building. My son kept a good three foot distance from me at all times as we were walking around. I kept saying, “You’re with me, get over here so I can talk to you.” He kept acting like he didn’t know me.
Then a boy came up, punched him in the shoulder (a greeting?) and my son burst to life, suddenly talking and laughing. (WHO IS THIS ANIMATED CHILD AND WHAT HAS HE DONE WITH THE MUTE WHO IS MY SON?) The other boy looked at me and said, “Is this your mom?” I looked at my son. I’m thinking, he doesn’t even want to admit he knows me….. I’m just this weird stalker grownup he can’t shake off, that’s what he’s going to tell the other boy…. Then the other boy continued, “Your mom’s the one who writes books, right? Remember last year our math teacher wanted to get one of her books to read?”
My son’s eyes lit up. “Yes, that’s my mom!” He’s even standing NEAR ME WHEN HE SAYS THIS. I’m a rock star. I’m cool. I’m his mother who writes books. He’s proud of me. 
Then the other boy said, “I need to go find my classroom down this hall.” And he disappears.
Son immediately re-establishes the three foot boundary and closes off his auditory faculties in order to pretend he can’t hear me when I speak. I’m the weird stalker grownup he can’t shake off again.
Sigh. Well…. I had my brief, shining moment, didn’t I?
Katie says:
One brief moment is much better than no brief moments. :hissyfit:
On August 24, 2005 at 7:52 am
Eve says:
And the beat goes on:guitar:
I remember doing that – at least some things never change. Mark Twain said something along the lines of “It’s amazing the older I got the more intelligent my father became.” Or something close to that.:blahblah:
On August 24, 2005 at 8:08 am
Danni says:
LoL, isn’t it strange to find ourselves in the positions we once put our ‘rents in?
I’m a firm believer in the notion that if they switched infancy with preteen-dom, we’d all be/have only children. :fryingpan:
On August 24, 2005 at 8:32 am
Lynn Daniels says:
I love your teenager stories. It gives me a hint of what I have to look forward to in a couple years.
But hey, you had a rock star moment! :guitar: Did it come complete with leather pants and screaming fans?
My own favorite line: I never realized how dumb I was until I had children.:yuck:
On August 24, 2005 at 8:41 am
Mechele Armstrong says:
LOL cool on school starting. We don’t go back here until after Labor Day.
And I know those moments are coming. Right now I’m still cool to the girls (4 & 6) and they want me there. But a very neat moment on the writing being talked about
On August 24, 2005 at 8:41 am
Rene says:
My daughter does this and she is only 5. Scary thing is she is so much cooler than I ever was and knows it. My son is going into 4th grade but he’s…odd. They still have TWO WEEKS to go but I think they are very excited to go. Probably not as excited as me.
On August 24, 2005 at 8:49 am
Toni Anderson says:
😆 at least he claimed you as his own–eventually!!! Can’t wait for those teenage years!!
On August 24, 2005 at 9:00 am
Mary says:
Ah, kids, I’ll take Bumper the cat any day. She’s not sitting on my keyboard.:smile:
On August 24, 2005 at 9:01 am
kacey says:
hm, my boys all outgrew that stage somewhere during their freshman year. To the point where they’d suck up to me and say “bye mommy I love you.” Which I’d reply “you’re my favorite.” (to whichever son was saying it at the time… :rolleyes: ) One kid laughed at my oldest son when he said the “bye mommy I love you” thing. . .and my son looked the kid straight in the eye and said “get over it.” :love: and walked away. :bananadance:
On August 24, 2005 at 9:21 am
Mik says:
You had the one brief moment of “cool”. 🙂 My son is already doing it and he’s not quite 4. When I dropped him off at his first day of preschool, I didn’t go so much as a “bye, mom” before he took off into the room.
Kids.
On August 24, 2005 at 9:48 am
Sharon says:
OMG Kacey, I wanna be you when I grow up!
My kids are still very into mama, but then the oldest is only ten.
My time’s coming….:yes:
On August 24, 2005 at 10:08 am
Peggy says:
Isn’t it funny how you appear to your children’s friends compared to the way your children see you?
The other day I picked up my teenager at a party and after I went to wait in the car, one of the kids asked her,
“Is that your mom?”
“Yeah”
“Wow, she’s pretty.”
“Ewww.”
I am a strong believer the friends of our children see us the way we truly are!! 😀
On August 24, 2005 at 11:05 am
Christyne says:
Went through this myself last night…took the DD over to the high school for Freshman Night where she found her crew of five and forgot all about me.
They all sat together, I was with the other parents and we noticed that with their black tee shirts, tight jeans and Van (?) sneakers they all looked alike.
Oh, well…safety in numbers.
And one of her friends…a major tomboy who’s never seen in anything but Texas Longhorns attire – bagy shirts and short/sweats -(I kid you not, I’m worried what going to happen if she’s NOT accepted there) walked in with a girly, form fitting tee (black of course) and black, low riding jeans and pierced ears…she looked so pretty!!
I told her mom later that her daughter looked good…she just grimaced, nodded and asked “what’s next?”
We looked over and saw the girls surrounded by a group of boys…
:::sigh:::
On August 24, 2005 at 11:34 am
Kelly says:
I had the first day today for my son attending 1st grade. Ugh, I cried when I told my hubby about it over the phone!
On August 24, 2005 at 12:13 pm
Estella Kissell says:
My kids graduated high school in the 80’s and I didn’t have to go through this. I was a chauffeur for the volley ball, basketball and track team members who lived in our community and needed to get to practice—10 miles away. I hope things change for you, for the BETTER:fryingpan:
On August 24, 2005 at 12:45 pm
Melissa Marsh says:
Oh how funny! We get to do the open house tonight with my stepson’s new school. My daughter’s is tomorrow night – kindergarten! :shock::shock:
On August 24, 2005 at 12:45 pm
Cynthia says:
I’m not looking forward to this! Right now my boys are still young enough to be thrilled when mom is with them. 🙂
On August 24, 2005 at 12:53 pm
Robyn says:
First they cling to you as a Mom, then they pretend they don’t know their Mom, then when they grow up they realize how great
Mom’s really are. Go figure!! I had teenage step children so really didn’t go through this.:smile:
On August 24, 2005 at 1:09 pm
Tori says:
:rotfl: I’m so glad I don’t have kids.
On August 24, 2005 at 1:35 pm
Melissa says:
:shocked: $38, 591…*THUD*
On August 24, 2005 at 2:13 pm
Melissa Mc says:
Oh how funny Suzanne! At least he mentioned your writing to his friends and teacher. I can’t believe Princess Morgan is so big. It just doesn’t seem possible!
On August 24, 2005 at 2:38 pm
Jill says:
lol. I have the same thing going on here with a female alien teenager …
On August 24, 2005 at 2:45 pm
MartyK says:
That’s quite sweet, actually, for a boy, no less!
On August 24, 2005 at 3:32 pm
Allison Brennan says:
I have a fourth grader, too. They don’t start until after Labor Day. I can hardly wait, LOL.
On August 24, 2005 at 5:23 pm
Danica says:
LOL Suzanne! Our aliens, er teenagers, are the same way.
On August 24, 2005 at 6:02 pm
Teresa says:
Cool about your rock star moment. I don’t get to have those. :guitar: But I loved this story.
On August 24, 2005 at 7:58 pm
Sandy J says:
Been there – done that! And you will be joyously surprised when he is a little older and WANTS to spend time with mom. Our youngest is in college and all of our boys are now always clamoring to spend time with their dad and me. They find out we are pretty cool after all.
On August 24, 2005 at 8:22 pm
Michelle says:
A moment of glory! Way to go!! 🙂 :bananadance:
On August 24, 2005 at 8:23 pm
Carol Burnside says:
Hey, cherish the moments.
I was lucky – my kids didn’t mind mom hugs and kisses (for the most part) in front of their friends.
On August 24, 2005 at 9:51 pm
ruby55 says:
Well, once again you gave the laugh of the day. Missed the last 2 days because of the “twilight zone”. No-no, not the series. My flourescent light gave up the ghost above the computer. The only available male–my nephew Andrew–came and put in the tubes last night around 9 or so. He also put in my dehumidefier. Since then, the computer is working a little better.
Maybe my parents never came to school in my company–I can’t remember. It’s only 40-odd years ago. They were at my University Convocation and other things like that. Can’t remember how I behaved then either. I think I claimed them at the Convocation. I was more mature then. Hah!
How come you start school on such an odd day? We finished end of June and begin again on Tuesday after Labor Day. That’s both in Ontario and in Manitoba. I’m pretty sure the same applies to all the provinces. 🙂
On August 24, 2005 at 10:35 pm
mary beth says:
LOL Suzanne! Congrats on getting the kids back in school. 🙂
On August 24, 2005 at 11:29 pm
Maureen says:
During my daughter’s freshman year she also treated me like a leper when we had to attend any school function. Now, as we head into her junior year she treats me more like a dim-witted child when she talks to me in front of her friends.
On August 25, 2005 at 6:54 am
Suzanne says:
Glad you’re back, Sigrun! I missed you!
On August 25, 2005 at 10:57 am
ArmyWifeToddlerMom says:
My Mom was sad after my brother turned 14, he stopped talking…..
On August 25, 2005 at 11:25 am
Kate Hardy says:
Loved the story, Suzanne. Bask in the glory! My eldest still thinks I’m cool (but he’s 8, about to start Year 4. UK kids are back to school in 10 days (who’s counting? :thumbsup: )
Also cracked up at the 3-foot zone. My DH remembers agreeing to carry his mum’s shopping, provided she walked on the opposite side of the street and did NOT speak to him at all…
On August 26, 2005 at 8:21 am
Darla Dixon says:
I have the same kind of moments with my girls, who just started junior high.
I am embarrassing beyond all belief until someone brings up, ‘oh this is your mom, the artist?’ and then they get all animated…! So if I didn’t draw, then what?
On August 27, 2005 at 6:12 am