Confessions Of A Grade School Mother

I managed to live through the first two days of school (for second grade)...although they weren't void of tears; and I will readily admit that yesterday I came home from the car pool line at 4pm and drank a Mike's Hard Lemonade...all by myself. I actually called a friend after I finished it because I worried that I was drinking alone, because you always hear that people who drink alone have "issues". And you know, that one small bottle might lead to me appearing on Oprah or Dr Phil 5 years from now on the "Desperate Housewives: I Couldn't Stand The Pressure Of The First Week Of School" episode. By the way, this "I'll get caught" paranoia would be why I didn't drink in high school or college...I was always afraid I would get caught...or worse, die; and then my legacy would be "she died at a desert wash party(where kids who live in the southwest go to party) from one sip of really cheap beer while the police raided the party and everyone got away except her"....but i digress.

Next week will be the first week of Kindergarten. Which brings me to my next story....I went to Target to get a few little things that are needed for my Kindergartener. My list included a Strawberry Shortcake lunch box and a towel for her "rest time" blanket. As I was shopping I began to think about how I have spent the last two week really being anxious about this whole 2 kids in school thing...for instance last Wednesday I was feeling a little sad....so I ate not one, but two, Snickers bars for lunch...and the ads are right, Snickers really do satisfy. I had never personally eaten 2 candy bars at once (although I have eaten half a bag of "mini" candy bars... and almost an entire 3lb bag of Peanut M&M's.. but those don't count) but I can't say I would never do it again...sometimes life requires chocolate. But anyway, we were shopping at the Target and I realized that there was this woman shopping with her daughter who was obviously shopping for her dorm and getting ready to start school at one of the local universities. It occurred to me that there are so many years ahead of me in my first week of school activities....13 more years of worry, and change, and for goodness sake Target expenditures! I was glad that I was buying a lunch box and a towel...this other mom was buying a small fridge, linens, plates, appliances and, I think, a kitchen sink. But it made me feel good that I was on this side of things...the time will help me to get my act together...who knows what i will be doing 11 years from now when I am shopping with my college kid? For goodness sake i better get a handle on this chocolate and "sauce" problem... 'cuz this is just the beginning.

So this weekend i am focusing on getting my second grader to go back to school next week, and making a plan for my first days alone as an official 'Mom of Grade-Schoolers'.

I better go get all the chocolate products out of my house.