Learning curve

As my children get older returning to school is becoming much like Christmas and not in the way you probably think I mean. It used to be a fairly unpleasant activity to get the school supplies and the new clothes needed to be fully prepared for the upcoming academic year, but now it is actually quite easy and relaxed. As young children their, and my, vision was so short sighted, everything needed to be perfect. There was so much importance riding on each item whether it be the pencil sharpener or the type of socks I bought, and it seemed like there was so much stuff needed. Every year felt so expensive and stressful to get two children ready to go back to school.

Now it is really quite enjoyable and simple.  At my children's current age it is so much easier to prepare for their academic advancement. School supplies have narrowed to a short list of basically a binder, paper and pens because they are not actually going to use any of the other crap on the list, and if I do buy it they will loose it before they need it  and just borrow off a friend anyway. The clothes have been narrowed to cool shoes for $130, awesome jeans for $150 and a $180 hoodie, done! Because they don't want anything else, and won't wear anything else if I do buy it so...easy peasy.

Christmas has become the same. Being a single mother I always felt so much stress at Christmas time. I had to make things perfect and comfortable because my poor babies had to deal with the stress of being torn between their dad and I during the holiday season. I use to put so much effort into trying to make each present just right to try and make up for it. They didn't necessarily get tons of stuff, but I would be thinking about what I was going to do for Christmas in July for goodness sake. Eventually I realized that it has nothing to do with the stuff, presents are never going to be perfect and neither is going back to school. Get a few items they actually want and few things they actually need and then be done. Christmas is way more fun now, and so is going back to school.

The one thing I am not sure about though, is they both want a facial piercing this year, my daughter her nose and my son his lip. I have put everyone off until after first term...top grades and good work comments or we don't even discuss it (which is very possible as they are both good students, I wasn't thinking clearly). I will have to discuss it again with them. There is a part of me that doesn't actually care if the kids get a piercing because it is something they will wear for a while and then take out when they are tired of it. But there is another part of me that feels I should say no because I don't want to be judged by other parents, teachers and their father.

I am not sure what I am going to do, but I do know that the conversion of facial piercings will surface again, and we will have to come to a conclusion at some point...maybe I could get away with telling them to ask Santa?