Private Schmivate ...

For a year now we've been trying to figure out where to send our daughter to kindergarten. It's been a stressful and awful experience. Where we live, there are two "excellent" public schools, neither of which is our neighborhood school. We tried all of the unofficial ins/outs to get our daughter "in," but in the end our efforts failed.

We also live in an area where many families send their children to very expensive good private schools. In fact, I've heard discussions about these schools for over two years from many of the mothers at my daughter's preschool. The school names flash into my head along with their tuitions ... $12,000/year, $16,000/year even $20,000/year. And, suddenly, 11 days before my daughter is about to enter kindergarten at our neighborhood public school, it practically falls into our lap ... the possibility that our daughter will receive a scholarship to attend one of these uppity private schools.

While I know that this would be a great experience for our daughter and that she would get a fabulous education, I have this sinking feeling in my gut. It's my own insecurity, really. It's the fact that I'll have to arrange playdates and make nice with the uppity-I-have-so-much-money, a 6,000 square foot home, three full-time nannies and spend my free time doing pilates because I have the figure of a 20 year old (with a little help from Mr. Plastic Surgeon) mother types. Sheesh.

Rules

Yesterday, I received an introductory letter in the mail from my 5 year old daughter's Sunday School, which begins in about 3 weeks. It said (among other things):

• "Students must wear clothing to Religious School that prevents all of the following from showing:


• 1. Any underwear, including boxers, panties, bras and bra straps.


• 2. Midriff and bellies,


• 3. Any part of the body that should be covered by underwear but isn't.



• In addition to appropriate dress, we are asking your assistance in insuring that your children do not speak (or text message) on their cell phones during class. Any cell phone that is on during class will be confiscated..."

Granted the Religous School does have teenage students, but this really blew me away. I mean, when I was in high school I remember the only thing parents had to worry about was covering the bare ass on "Ski Naked" t-shirts with a piece of black electrical tape!

Where's My Playdate?

I've been yammering on and on (well not to you but I have been yammering to myself and to other people I swear I have) about how I'm so looking forward to September when my 5 year old will be in kindergarten all day (that's 2:30pm) and my 3 year old will be in preschool all day (that's until 1:30pm in preschool hours) and how I'll actually have some time to myself to do what I want to do with out little people following me around. Yes, for the first time in, oh say 5 years, I'll have the ability to spend at least 3.5 hours ALONE (I had to subtract drive/pick up and drop off time so that's why the numbers may not seem to jibe).

I've been dreaming of the possibilities. Grocery shopping, by myself? Visits to the gym? Tackling that gawd awful scrapbooking project that I started, oh say 5 years ago, and completely neglected and had it turn into a big rubbermaid storage box full of family photos and other crap? Paint the living room? Redecorate the house? Tile the kitchen (I've actually been thinking that it would be fun to work on mosaics even though I don't have a clue where to begin or how to do it)? Obviously, the possibilities are endless when you have 3.5 hours of time ALONE, 5 days a week!

That being said, school starts in two weeks. The kids are still enjoying the last bits and pieces of their summer vacation. Today, my 5 year old is having a playdate with one of her very best girlfriends in the whole wide world ... at the home of her very best girlfriend in the world. In fact, I just received a phone call from very best girlfriend's mother letting me know that the girls gave the dog a bath, and ended up in a bubble fight and are now in the bathtub if that's okay with me. Meanwhile, back at the ranch my 3 year old has his very best friend in the world over for a playdate. I just peeked my nose into MY BEDROOM where they're playing (please note that there are toys in every other room in the house, but for some reason my bedroom is the totally cool place to play if you're 3) and my son said, bless his little heart, "Mommy, we want some privacy." Ouch!

My daughter is thoroughly entertained somewhere else and my son is busy playing Scooby Doo with his friend and I am ... well ... I am so lonely! I think this going back to school thing is going to be a little harder than I thought!

In the Beginning

So, *takes a look around, runs a finger across a dusty ledge* this is my blog?