I'm trying to figure out WTF happened at my children's school recently to allow them unlimited access to the phone. I'm not joking when I say unlimited, either. My children are 12 and (almost) 10. They do not have cell phones. They aren't even in the realm of possibly getting a cell phone at this point. I think it's ridiculous that 90% of the 6th grade already have cell phones.
But that's a rant for another day.
The point here is that they don't have cell phones and yet I received 7 phone calls from them yesterday. Yes, 7. 3 times The Girl called begging, begging, me to bring her Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer (the book she's currently reading), despite the fact that she was banned from taking it to school because she wasn't paying attention in class (I made her leave it at home, just so you know. The school didn't ban it..).
Then she called in the afternoon (I was at the doctor) and left a message on my cell phone, "Uh, hey mom, it's me, your daughter, The Girl" in case I didn't know that she, The Girl, was, in fact, my daughter?, "Uh, well..just listen to the message on the answering machine at home before 3:10, ok?" This message was left at 3:05. While I was across town. *headdesk* The reason for the message? She needed me to sign her release form allowing her to stay after school on Tuesday's for play practice. Something she neglected to tell me about.
Little Man also called twice to tell me he didn't have choir practice (he NEVER has choir on Tuesdays. Never. EVER.) and then to let me know he wanted to sign up for track. Track starts in 3 weeks and the sign-up sheets haven't even been sent home yet. W.T.F.
This morning The Girl called me because she forgot her binder at home. Now, for those of you not in the know, The Girl has major homework issues. Every Monday she brings me a progress report from the week before. If it's noted that she didn't turn in her homework, she's grounded to her room until she brings me a clean progress report. She was once grounded - TO HER ROOM - for 4 consecutive weeks for not turning in her homework
I feel that responsibility is just as important as actually doing the work, so her telling me she forgot her homework at home isn't a good enough excuse to get her out of being grounded. I.e, just because she left her binder at home doesn't mean she gets a pass. Actually, IMO, it's worse, because she's supposed to put her binder in her backpack and place her backpack by the front door every night after she does her homework.
Anyway, she calls me this morning and begs me to bring her binder in before 11 so she can turn her homework in. Last week I got called to the school 4 different times between her and Little Man because they kept forgetting things, needing things, etc. *sigh*
So far I've been rescuing them, but after today I plan to have a sitdown with them to explain that just because I'm home during the day now does not make me their personal assistant. If they forget things, too bad for them. And no more 50 phone calls a day about random things. Sheesh.
No more Mom to the Rescue!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
No More Mom to the Rescue
at 12:15 PM
Labels: Excuse Me?, Kill Me Now, Lazy Kids, The Joys of Parenting
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10 comments:
Oh my God, this is my life!!!!
You mean I'm not the only one? Thank goodness!
Yup. My kids get 1 freebie each semester. That is, I will bring them a forgotten book, binder, or whatever one time each semester. That's it. After that, they are on their own.
Jeff hasn't needed his freebie since about 4th grade. Steve uses it every. single. semester. LOL. And yup, it's his responsibility to put his stuff in his backpack every night after homework check. Although I do remind him before bedtime. Every. single. night.
Our school doesn't allow calls from the office to home for anything other than "I'm sick" or emergencies. So Steve tends to borrow his friend's cellphones. Cause like your kids - he doesn't have one yet. And yup - he's the only one.
Huh, they somehow get access to a phone? is it the public phone?
Kids shouldn't have cell phones, I stand by that.
LOL, I rarely ever asked my mom to bring me stuff when I was in school. I think Lori's idea is good. One freebie/semester...
lol I'm so spoiled. Well, I RARELY forgot things at home - I'll say that now. I think actually my parents if/when I ever forgot something, would notice, and drop it off for me. <3 <3 <3
Parents would totally bring me lunch too (just a regular brown bag one) if I forgot. Meals = very important.
Haha - seriously though, this was VERY RARE. Like maybe once every 3 yrs. If I forgot homework, I was on my own and it was my own damn fault. (I think I rarely forgot assignments b/c I just never took them home :X)
Yep, they got your number ;) I only ever called if I was puking and one time I called my mother because a major science experiment I had been working on broke a seal and I needed cement to fix it. It was for so much of my final mark and I had been working on it for weeks. I just hadn't forseen the break. My science partner literally gave up and shrugged and said we'd just have to explain how the thing worked. Hell, no. I hadn't learned to sauder and mix cement not to have the damn thing work. I fixed it and we got A's. I should probably thank my Mom for that one of these days. What you think? 20 years later acceptable ;)
Good luck reigning them in. If I may, for every time The Girl calls you take the book she's calling for away for a night. Nothing hurts more than having the one thing you want taken away!
CindyS
OMG, Will does the same thing. What is w/ that? Srsly. He's called me at least twice every day this week. The first time I was at work and he said he had a headache. I asked him what he wanted me to do and his response was "I don't know.".
my oldest has yet to try this, thank goodness.
at my school they are supposed to only use the classroom phone for an emergency (usually lunch money or a ride)
As far as the cell phone issue, i teach at an elementary school and we have quite a few kids with cell phones. Most of them have them because they walk home, for safety's sake, but others just have them because mom/big brother/dad got a new one and figured to just add a line and they could have their own.
they are not allowed to use them during school hours. They are supposed to be turned off. But you know kids, they pull them out to show friends and look cool. if I see them in my room they become mine until the end of the day or if they give me a hard time, they are mine until parent comes in to get it.
I can't believe the school allows the kids phones. The only kids allowed to have them on campus AT ALL are the ones that walk home or when they get home don't have supervision.
My kids know better than to call me for anything - since I'm at work I can't get it for them anyway. If I was home though, they'd be calling non-stop. Well, the oldest would.
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