Getting ready to go back to school

My mommy friends were recently discussing getting their first-borns ready for Kindergarten. How sad they’ll be. What they need. How the school supply lists are crazy.

A couple are teachers and explained that they’re not provided funding for school supplies and they mostly buy what’s needed out of their own pockets.

I smugly posted (this is an online group of friends) that Duncan’s school is just asking for a supply fee and that they’ll take care of it all. I think it’s wonderful.

Except Duncan is going to 2 schools for Kindergarten (as public schools offer only a half-day program). And the private school does have a school supply list — for both Duncan and Berry.

What strikes me the most is that they’ll need a lot of glue. Each child needs 2 boxes of glue sticks with a minimum of 4 glue sticks per box. That’s 8 sticks of glue for one child in 10 months, almost 1 stick of glue per month. What will they be gluing? The 2 reams of paper? The $20 of paper towels (I only have to buy 1 roll and write a check for $20 for the rest).

Berry also gets 2 bottles of liquid glue. I should warn them about the glue puddles she likes to make. And maybe buy some extra. Fortunately, to go along with the glue, they also request a box of wipes.

I’m happy to buy them whatever they need. We keep a craft closet (which has now spread into Duncan’s bedroom closed) well stocked with craft supplies. But the amount of glue is striking.

The other point on which I differed from my mommy friends was the “I’m going to cry when my baby gets on the bus!” Not only will there be no bussing to school (I’d be happy about that) I’m not sure there’ll be any crying on my part.

I’m excited for my kids to grow up. I love watching them grow, guiding them and helping them (slowly) learn how to become happy, functional adults. I’m not really sad that the baby years are behind them. They were fun while they lasted – great, exhausting fun.

And now we’re onto something new.

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I just applied to college

There’s something magical in the time between awakeness and sleep. I see things. I know things. It’s like I can log in to information that I otherwise don’t have access to.

Two things came to me around 4 a.m. this morning as I rocked Berry back to sleep (and fell asleep myself):

1. Reducing my dose of anti-depressant for the last 2 days was a bad idea. I’m not quite ready yet. (Note/confession: I’ve had post partum depression since Berry was born. While pregnant with her I had pre-natal depression.)
2. It’s time to apply to Empire State College. I’ll start classes in the fall when Duncan goes to pre-school.

I’ve learned not to question these insights. My half-awake/half-asleep brain knows what’s best for me. I just go with it.

So I finished applying for admission online this morning. (Actually, I just finished taking a shower. But before that, I finished the application.) Requests for transcripts from FSU and RIT are in the mail. ESC admission thingy done online. And now it’s time for lunch.

Of course, with every college application, there’s the admissions essay. So glad I’m a writer. I won’t share the whole thing with you, because it’s embarrassingly admissions-y. But here’s the first part:

I woke up one day, my junior year in high school, with what felt like the flu. It wasn’t. Eventually, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, a debilitating chronic illness. I stayed out of school for a while, but finished my junior year going to school on a part-time basis. After resting for the summer, I went back full-time for my senior year, excited to take classes I hadn’t had time for before – art and ceramics – along with physics, economics and others.

I lasted a month before I had a severe relapse. But I didn’t give up. I finished high school through homebound schooling – calling into a tele-class with other kids in similar medical situations. It wasn’t fun, but I made it through. I graduated sixth in my class.

Events repeated themselves when I went to Florida State University. Mid-way through the year I had another relapse. But I finished spring semester, dropping only one course (ballet), before I moved back home.

When I got a great job at RIT, I immediately enrolled for classes. I was determined to finish school. But the classroom setting wasn’t right for me. I needed more flexibility and other adult learners.

Since then, I’ve gotten married and had two lovely children. My husband is completing his bachelor’s degree via online learning at RIT. My son is going to pre-school in the fall. It’s my turn to finish my undergraduate studies.

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