Struggles at School

 

Oh I am not suggesting that my little grandson is having struggles at school.  What I am admitting to is this Nana struggles to get the kid to school in the morning.  Last year when I had planned to take Eli to preschool and we decided it was a great idea to go on a little field trip to the river, Eli's Mom threatened me with truancy court.  Yeah a bit dramatic but truancy court!

 

So now when I keep Eli in the wee hours of the morning as his Mom finishes up her nursing degree I am on my best behavior!  Let me just say what I try to do and what actually happens are well... miles apart.  I will tell you the elementary school principal, who was a complete stranger to me on the first day of school, now knows me by name.  Not a good sign!

 

It has been decades since I have had to get a school age child up and ready for school and when I did this back in the day, we merely pulled up to the school parking lot, kissed the kids good bye and drove away.  So the first time I attempted to do this with Eli he informed me I needed to walk him into the school.  Now this is all well and good, except for the fact that I had taken Eli to school that first time....in my pajamas.  "Eli", I whined.  "You can walk in by yourself can't you?"  "No, Nana, you HAVE to walk me to the door".  I took a deep breath as I looked down at my morning attire.  My pajamas consisted of sweats and a tshirt.  Not to bad except the sweats had huge, ridiculous bold blue and white stripes on them.  I had no socks on and to top it all off, cowboy boots.  Could it get any worse?  To make a long story short, I found a jacket in the back seat, pulled it on and tucked my unruly hair behind me ears.  I tried to make a hasty trip up to the door but Eli had to stop and look at every blade of grass on the school lawn apparently.  I think the school officials were probably calling DHS as we approached the door!

 

After the first day of school, let's see.  I left my coffee cup on the roof and drove off breaking the cup in the path that all the children cross.  Oh and Tuff got out and ran amok through the crowd one morning, at least I was dressed more appropriately for those times.  Not to mention the times we are um, tardy.  In this day and age the school is locked down tighter than a drum.  Once the school bell rings I think some kind of automatic lock is engaged.  That's what it seems like anyway because I have to try and smuggle my grandson into the school like a Mexican drug lord.  Geez! We have forgotten the backpack, left the house before brushing teeth and one time, not too long ago I loaded Eli up in the truck, with no shoes on for Christ sake!

 

Despite all the antics of this Nana, Eli got a perfect attendance award a few weeks ago and last night received a special award from the kindergarten teachers.  I went to watch him receive his award and I swear, when no one was looking the school principal pointed his middle and index finger at his eyes, and then he pointed them at me.  "I'm watching you"!