Saturday, November 20, 2010

Your "Aid" Is No Longer Needed. Thank You.

Barbecue at the elementary school. The kids look forward to this every year. Tradition. Parents and grandparents at school. "Food." Music. Cowboy hats. What could be better?

I dutifully packed Evie in her stroller, got shoes for Hyrum and his friend that was over for the morning and walked the 75 yards to the school from our back gate.  This was going to be fun, right?
The little boys ate very little, even the junk.  They were too enamored with the playground equipment and the quickly encroaching irrigation water.  My question:  Who schedules company in their back yard when it's full of water?  Apparently, Mesa Public Schools.
I let the little boys loose in the sand and started talking to a friend as we fed her triplets and Evie.
You see where this is going, don't you?  I didn't.
A few minutes later, the principal asked me if "this little boy" was with me?  Hyrum's friend was soaked--irrigation water.  Oh well.  It happens.  It's AZ--it was 72 degrees outside. He won't die from it.

So I took his jacket off, threw it in the stroller, and tried to wrap everything up.  Then I hear it:  "Parents, we have some irrigation water coming down, and we need you to keep your kids away from it."  Why?  Because its 3-inch depth is threatening to 3-year-olds?  No.  Because they said so.

Then, an especially grumpy aide accosted me, trying to herd me (and no better word is available than herd, like dumb animals) like one of her second-grade charges.  That won't happen, Sister.  I can tell you right now.  "And now he's throwing sand.  I need to tell him not to throw sand."  Excuse me?  I'm standing right here.  I know I've only been a parent for almost twenty years and I may appear incompetent in this area.  I know I carry no "certification" that allows me to discipline kids.  But you've crossed the wrong lady.
I'm wearing these today, Sister.
Said in more than a slightly snarly tone:  "I can tell him that.  Thank you."

I can't believe the idiotic rules that are enforced at an elementary school.  This same "aide" tried to herd Micah
out onto the playground before he was even finished eating.  This same "aide" tried to throw away the cafeteria delicacies before the kids had fully rejected them.  This same "aide" kept eying me, like an intruding tigress into her territory.  I don't accept these "helpful" overtures well on a good day, let alone one when I've only had 3 1/2 hours of sleep.  Good thing I was wearing my boots.  I needed to kick a little you-know-what.

Isn't there a naughty kid hiding carrots in his napkin somewhere?  Go find him.  Leave me alone.  I don't think your "aid" is needed around here.

Sheesh.  Glad I don't go to elementary school any more.  I'd be in the principal's office every day.  And we're already on thin ice as it is.

Am I the only one that is annoyed beyond endurance by people who take their jobs a little too seriously, a little too intensely, a little over the line?
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22 comments:

  1. I am right with you on this one Jen!
    Soon children will be wearing helmets for the walk to school and playgrounds will be a thing of the past (well, they are already a thing of the past here, where they are deemed too dangerous).
    Sad.

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  2. I think every school has one of those! Ridiculous...especially in an elementary school. I remember Brady's 1st day of kindergarten...he had a great day, loved it...and then said he's glad the mean lunch aid ISN'T his teacher! She couldn't even be NICE on the 1st day of school?
    Glad you had your boots on and put her in her place!

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  3. oh the injustice ... you of all people being treated like that by some overly-inflated aide ... so wrong! Glad you were able to take a look down at those gorgeous boots and be reminded of your superpowers ... yeeeehaw! let it rip, sista!

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  4. Oh yes. I think we all know some of them. My husband says they are power hungry. Give them a little and they take it way over the edge.

    I think your boots saved the day.

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  5. Oh, and I was hoping for a picture of the triplets. Maybe next time...

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  6. Yes, yes, yes! I am COMPLETELY annoyed by those oddball power-trippers who so earnestly discharge their non-duties. They make me want to scream with impatience and annoyance.

    And those boots are waaay beyond cool.

    =)

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  7. what kind of lunch lady would you be. I think it depends on how much you like other peoples kids. Me I'd be chill and let them do more than most. That's how I roll even if I had the power of your super cute boots. Your kids hold a special place in my heart and that means trouble when it would come to discipline. You need to teach the aid to chill.

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  8. I shouldn't even go down this road but you've got me fired up. My grandsons were permitted to have recess anymore because the school they were in decided to focus more on academics so they could raise their school grade from a "B" to an "A" and then the principal could keep her job. I'm one pissed off grandma and they don't go there anymore! No more cursive writing. No more recess. When is someone going to get a handle on runnaway authority? My daughter always says "Mom the squeeky wheel gets the oil!" I say it's time to start squeeking! :-)~Ames

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  9. P.S. I really, REALLY like those boots! Who are they made by? They look like Lucchese!~Ames

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  10. No ma'am, you are NOT the only one. That would not have gone over well with me at all. In fact, I may well have given her the stare of death, or said some rather rude things. I hate people on power trips.

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  11. If it's a barbeque party, why did they invite the fun sucker? And go you for not being nearly as snarky as she deserved, cause you know I woulda.

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  12. I am sooo with you on this Jen! When I first had kids these types used to scare me too, but now they just make me mad! I need some of those boots!! :)

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  13. Wow, sounds like someone needs to take a chill pill. I totally agree with you about that aide. Seems like she needs to reassess why she is around *kids* since she doesn't sound like she believes in kids having fun...at a barbecue no less.

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  14. I'm taking over the Christmas Swap for Susan from FiveGreatKiddos. You had commented on Susan's blog that wanted to join the swap and I just wanted to check and make sure you still want to do it. I'm setting up the swap this week.
    Thanks
    Leigh Anna
    hendi123@hotmail.com
    jljbuck.blogspot.com

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  15. I am so glad to hear that I am not the only one who has a hard time with some of the rules in school... and that others might be on "thin ice" with their principles, too :) Grrr.. GO TEAM MOMS!!!

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  16. Ugh. Power trippy people drive me crazy. Especially when little kids are involved.

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  17. I believe this is called going by the letter of the law, rather than the spirit of the law. Some people just don't have any common sense, and this aide is one of them. (Odd how these are always the ones that want to enforce the rules, isn't it?)
    I seriously heart those boots...

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  18. Good thing you didn't have to go wade through the water in those boots. And I'm looking at the snow in my yard, then looking at your pictures, wishing I was there.

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  19. My son Jacob almost was not allowed to go to his 6th grade graduation celebration because he and a friend "snuck" out of the cafeteria (after they were done eating) to play on the playground before the 6th graders were dismissed. (They were annoyed that I didn't get what the problem was.) They actually hold the kids in the cafeteria and expect them to behave and be quiet until they are released for recess. I have even heard the aids threaten not to let the kids go to recess if they didn't stay quiet in the cafeteria. Yes, I think some of the school rules are a bit ridiculous.

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  20. All I ever need to know I learned in Primary...kindness begins with me...

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  21. oh! don't get me started. there are a couple 8th grade moms at our school who i could throttle, because they think they're the cheez whiz since they are also para's or teachers at the elementary school....excuse me, since when did the elementary school teacher mom win more cool points than me?! and since when was her voice more important than mine?! i could really get into it, but i won't cause i don't want to disgrace your lovely space. :) have a better THIS week!

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  22. p.s.
    am i the only mom who's miffed about how much P.E. has been cut from our kids' schedules? used to be that P.E. was a daily occurance in middle school, but same thing, now that the school's are worried about their grades, P.E. got the big fat ki-bosh! my daughter gets it one semester in this school. in her old middle school, they only got it ever OTHER day for one semester of the year! what the wha?!? but yet obesity in children is such a big concern & illness, right? such a serving of bull right there. so, let's push all sorts of computers & computer time in front of them, screw up the lunch system so they barely get anything decent, and then let's take away or cut back on P.E. ....doesn't sound logical.
    k, my venting's over. ::hugs::

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