Lunch and recess

So, this morning after getting the younger two into school and helping the youngest ones class inside (they tell these little bitty ones who are just entering the big school to "just follow the class in front of you" from the playground - while all the big kids are cutting through! so I helped my little one and her class get where they were going - and picked up a few others on the way that I knew where they went and who were just wandering the hallways) I had to leave quickly.

Part of the reason I had to get out of there quick is that I seem to always get right in the middle of the things that need to be done (like escorting classes to their rooms). Yesterday, I went to have lunch with my youngest (Y) at her request but they are changing things this year to having recess first and then lunch - which I have long wished for because it broke my heart so see how many kids just threw their lunch out each day and didn't eat at all because they spent their whole 20 min lunch planning what they were doing at recess and socializing - which is only natural since they have to sit quietly all morning. Anyway, they just made the decision the day before school started to make this change so NO ONE was prepared really. Other schools in our district had already made the switch and I think there are some things our school needs to copy. First, they have the kids line up and then give them all hand sanitizer before they go in, which is great, but at one of the other schools I know they installed dispensers along the wall where they come in so they don't have to have someone standing there holding a gallon size tub and squirting it into each set of hands! (One mom was very angry yesterday and when I asked why she said "they aren't even having them wash their hands first!" and I said "a - I'm sure they would let your kids wash their hands if you said that's what you want and b - Have you ever watched when they would send them all to the bathroom to "wash" their hands before lunch?!? They didn't do it - they just stood in the bathroom or hallway visiting. So at least they way they are making sure the kids have as clean hands as they can under the circumstances. Cleaner than before anyway." She still wasn't happy but I think she got my point. I've been up there a LOT as a volunteer at all times of day and have seen a lot of the things like that.

Which brings me back to what I was saying (and I know - you're thinking it's about time!) I ended up helping all the little ones get into the cafeteria and get settled and I opened tons of milk cartons for different kids, fetched napkins and silverware, solved seating issues, etc. And I was just there to have lunch with my baby. She was very good about it though and was content that I sat with her a few minutes because she was too hungry and tired to fuss anyway. ;-) I have to say that they all ate SO MUCH better than I'd seen them do in the past. It was nice, but I think Y at least is going to need to take an extra water bottle or something with her as she was still thirsty after drinking the bottle that came with her lunch.

Anyway, after all that I stayed and was discussing all of it with some of the other moms and reassuring them that it would be a good program when all the kinks are worked out and to give it a chance before judging it. By the time we broke that up it was time for M's class to come in so I stood by the outside door to watch for her and then when her class came in there was someone at the other set of doors to dispense sanitizer to the classes going in there, but no one at the doors we were at. The kids said they'd just do it themselves and I said No Way - I could see it going all over the floor (and each other) so I grabbed the bottle and started doing it. Then one of the teachers I knew came around with another bottle that a child in her class has to have because she is allergic to the regular goop and she said "Oh! I didn't know you were signed up to help with this" and I said I wasn't but that since no one else had come I'd stepped in to help. She thanked me, explained the other bottle and took off again. After I'd got all of them in, helped direct the lunch bag crowd, got the others in the right lines for their classes and make sure there weren't any stragglers, I finally went in and got to sit with M while she ate.

So, when I got home I finally had MY lunch (smoked oysters and gorgonzola in flour tortillas - yum!) and thought about why I let myself get into those situations, but I can't just stand and watch while things go crazy. I will say that all that is why this morning I just got out of there quickly. It didn't help that one of the office ladys stopped to ask if I was still helping with Meet the Masters and I said No, not really. I had the lady taking it over this year that she could call me if she had questions but that was it. (I got hit up Tues at info day by the PTO Prez because the new MTM chair demanded a co-chair as she "just can't do it by herself"! and I gave them another name to try as I was not going to let myself get guilted into helping - I did it for two years with no help running it and my youngest was at home halfdays during that time!) The office lady said she wondered because the supplies that I had ordered at the end of last year had been left sitting in the art room all summer (I had emailed the new lady of what had been ordered and what lessons it was all for!) so she had finally moved it to the MTM supply cabinet and just stacked it up there. (sigh) I am NOT going to feel guilty! I am NOT going to feel guilty! ;-)