Friday, October 17, 2008

Roy G. Biv Elementary School

Does your kid's school do this? Today Laura's teacher mailed out her weekly newsletter, and it announced that next week is Safety Week. Each day requires specific clothing.

Monday: No Bullying Day, wear yellow shirt and sticker (I don't know what sticker this is).

Tuesday: Internet Safety, wear tropical or Hawaiian print shirt (get it? Safe surfing?)

Wednesday: Pet Safety, wear animal print or a shirt with picture of an animal. Hmmm, we might have to see if any of her Gymboree Tiger Love still fits (you Gymbo freaks know what I'm talking about). But would that condone the keeping of tigers as pets?

Thursday: Fire Safety, wear orange.

Friday: Red Ribbon Day, wear red. I can't remember what "Red Ribbon Day" is and the newsletter doesn't say--I think it might be no drugs or something?

So it's all fine, and it's fun for the kids to do this and all dress the same, but I think you know what I mean when I say that this is also kind of a pain in the ass. In addition to mom's normal list of schoolchild to-do's--homework, lunch, snack, paperwork, right shoes for PE, etcetera--we have the added mental expenditure of remembering which day is which color/theme and choosing appropriate clothing. It sounds silly to say it, but it is just one more thing.

They did this Safety Week in both Kindergarten and first grade, and last year L's teacher got really into it, because GET THIS, on fire safety day, she double-dipped. That day they also had a MOCK SNOWBALL FIGHT in the classroom, for which we had to send in cotton balls, and supply our tots with hats, scarves, and mittens so they could look the part. Snowballs? On Fire Safety Day? Saints preserve us. It's Mama's job to remember this craziness and to fish the mittens out of a box in the basement at 2:00 in the morning.

So that is my tiny complaint. However, I do get satisfaction from knowing that Laura has what she needs, that she will feel included in the activity, and that she's going off properly dressed for whatever fake weather she may encounter.

4 comments:

Carrie said...

I am never gonna make the cut come elementary school. I am already the mom who forgets to bring my preschooler's backpack about 2 out of 4 days. Also, I think it's presumptious of them to assume you OWN clothing in all these colors, or will run out and buy it.

Jane said...

Seriously. 200 parents converge on Target looking for tropical print shirts in November.

Broady said...

I think it's funny that they want the kids to wear the color of fear and cowardice on No Bully Day. Other than that, safety week sounds like a hassle.

Becky said...

I didn't even think of the whole yellow/coward thing, Broady. Hilarious. And the Hawaiian shirt DID used to be a problem for us, but we made do with a flower lei. We are resourceful, like pioneers.