Aug
Back 2 School 2008
I sit here quietly before the rising of the sun, the house a few minutes ago was alive with the sounds so typically associated with the morning rituals: sound of china being moved around, coffee percolating, water being run for showers, closing and opening of doors and the low talk of gentle conversation (as if not wanting to wake up the day, but the day’s already busy summoning the sun).
I watched Geordan, now 15 as he sat with us to have a cup of coffee. Through the myriad of thoughts in my head, one kept drawing my attention: “how much that little boy (not so little anymore) admires his dad”. I looked at his choice of clothes on his first day back to school: he was wearing a cotton v-neck shirt with jeans pants. In Florida it is not unusual for kids to wear shorts to school . Last week he brought up the conversation about dressing with sports shorts to school and he asked me what I thought about it. I’m not into fashion, but I am old fashion in stressing certain ethics regarding dress code for school; sport shorts and flip flop sandals is not something I want to see my son wearing to school. I believe that the disciplines and respect we pass on to our children will cross over to their attitude about work.
I’ve seen how many teenagers dress to school, and many times wonder if the parents ever got up to say goodbye to their kids: hair uncombed, clothing all wrinkled, flip flops and to my amazement no school books in hand. Geordan normally wears Dickies shorts it has that formal wear look, but I realize his question came from a deeper desire to conform. He stood there in his sports shorts asking me the question with his big brown eyes. I know it his decision and it was sweet of him to ask me, all I said in a ‘very motherly way’: There is always dress down Friday. …and in what appeared to be a truce, he smiled at me in his magical way and he said, “Yes, there is dress down Friday” and walked away.
Early rise, back pack and school lunches - he’s a sophomore now, and these times will never come back. One day he’ll fly ’solo’ and I only hope I’ve given him enough emotional tools to handle whatever challenges life throws at him.
Daisy Says: Spend a few minutes with your kids in the morning, it’s priceless.
