The Ongoing School Saga

Upon driving Maddie to school this morning, we had our usual conversation.

Maddie: "I don't want to go to school. Why can't I be homeschooled like Ashley? I don't want to do math."

Me: "Ashley still has to do math at home. She has to do all the same work that you have to do at school."

Maddie: "Well, I don't want to go."

Me: "Remember when you were a little girl, and you watched Nick and Alix go off to school every day? You couldn't wait to go to school."

Maddie: "Well, life changes."

It sure does, doesn't it? Someone please explain to me how she and I are going to get through the next 11 years of school.

She's a Sneaky, Little Girl

This morning while encouraging Maddie to choose which nutritious breakfast item to eat, a Hot Fudge Sundae poptart or Cookie Crisp cereal, we had an interesting conversation.

Me: Ok, Maddie, what do you want to eat? We need to get moving a little more quickly here, so we are on time for the bus.

Maddie: I don't want to go to school.

Me: Too bad. You have to go anyway.

Maddie: No, I'll just pretend to be sick.

Where does she come up with these things? No one in our family has ever "pretended" to be sick to get out of school. Besides, we have these rules in our home which often cures thoughts of playing hooky. First, if you actually are sick, you are incapable of watching television and must either lay in agony on your bed or on the couch. Second, if you are truly sick, you don't even desire to do anything else but sleep or vomit. I've learned these things from having an extremely cruel mother who knew about children like me who might actually attempt to get away with such "sick" trickery. And, Maddie? She doesn't have a chance of playing sick with the genes I've inherited. Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to school she goes...