“Humbled, honored, and awed.” Three awesome adjectives, and they all describe me. MommaK is letting me guest-post for her while she’s moving, and I feel powerful. I mean, trusted. MommaK is a lovely person, and when she asked me to be one of her guest-posters, I felt as if I were getting an award. Know why? I was. Petroville is a wonderful place.
This is Mamacita and I’m proud as punch to be here.
High school graduation was last night. My husband is a teacher at the high school, so he went to the ceremony, and walked in with the graduating seniors. It’s kind of like being an usher. Actually, it’s exactly like being an usher. All he lacked was a flashlight and a handful of ticket stubs.
Afterwards, he went to an open house. I went to three open houses last Saturday. Tomorrow, I’m going to another. On Sunday, Hub will be going to about five more.
High school graduation has many meanings for many people. One of those meanings is mucho bucks doled out to kids at open houses.
Jeebus, did I say that? What I meant to say was that one of those meanings is being remembered by certain kids, and asked to be a part of their rite of passage.
Seriously, I love to be included in a student’s senior open house. In this school system, not many teachers are asked, and not many care to go even if they ARE asked. We are encouraged to NOT be any part of a student’s life outside of the school building. I say, pish and tush on THAT stupid ruling.
My husband and I always go if we are asked. He always shakes the student’s hand and murmurs something about success, and what a big step that was taken. I, on the other hand, being a mother and therefore learned in the art of embarrassing young people, always give the student a big hug, and take him/her by the shoulders and tearfully give a speech about how grateful I am for being invited, and how much I’ll miss seeing him/her when they leave for college, and how I always KNEW he/she would do well and make us all proud, etc, etc, mush mush mush. I mean it, of course, but why can’t I just give the kid a handshake and a few good wishes and leave it at that? I’ve got my own kids to embarrass, after all.
But then, my own kids are grown and gone. I don’t want to lose my touch, so I am now in the business of embarrassing other people’s kids with my maternal teary-eyed mush.
I’ve done it several times already, this graduation weekend. I’ll be doing it some more, before it’s all over.
And next year, mwahahahahahahaha, I’ll do it even MORE.
Yes, indeedy-do. My kids have moved out, but there are millions of other-people’s-kids still out there to embarrass.
I say, when you’ve got a talent, use it.
MommaK, how’s the moving coming along? Moving isn’t easy. It’s stressful.
This is only the second summer in about nine years that one or both of my kids hasn’t moved. My daughter’s daybed had been taken apart and put back together so many times, all the screws and bolts were stripped.
Oh. My. Gosh. I just used the words “screws” and “stripped” and “bed” in a sentence about my daughter.
I can’t wait for her to get back from California so I can embarrass her about that.
I am the honored one, my dear. Thank you for a lovely post. The moving is coming along. The house is wonderful and I just got internet access so the rest of the damn boxes can wait! I miss you all so much!
Thank you, thank you for taking such good care of my virtual house while I’ve been gone. Talk to you soon
Oh, Mamacita, I hate to do this to a teacher, but I cannot resist:
EmbarRass. EmbaRrassment. EmbaRRassing.
And now I suppose you are embarrassed. Sorry about that….
Gosh, I don’t thnk we had anything called ‘open houses’ when I graduated from colleges. Just “parties” and no money expected, perhaps a present.
Funny, every time I tell Rachel about something that happened in the “old days” she asks, were you there? :shocked:
Enjoy your parties. Your hugs and words of encouragement will carry them farther than you know! I would ask my girls preschool teachers to parties but I figure they need some time away from kids.
Hoss, you got me. I stand corrected. It was late and I was tired and, and, and. . . . oh poop, you got me.
You make me miss teaching but then I forgot how much there is to look forward to in the art of humiliating my own children!
As for these open houses, I don’t get it. Most curious…
Learned in the art of embarrassing children…….LOLOL
Aren’t all mothers and fathers great at that? I know I sure am.
One of the main reasons for procreating is to have the opportunity to visit embarrassment upon one’s offspring, isn’t it? Good on you for the bigs hugs and speeches at the open houses. Sure, they’re a little embarrassed, but you know they love it, too.
Did I say colleges? I meant high school.
Note to self: must proofread.
Too funny- post and comments. It’s pretty cool when I can come over to visit Momma K and find all my friends here. I know what you mean, Mamacita- I spend two weekends each June going to open houses and I love it. Sometimes I ask, “Are you SURE you want your therapist to come to your open house?” and I’m always delighted when they insist on it.
That Hoss- Feelgood no doubt told him to correct you.