Pull Up A Chair

" He is so bright, sweet and smart. He will not be a follower ~ that is for sure! He will be such a Leader in life.....later in life, yes later in life is when he needs to be the Leader, right now he needs to be the follower......and follow me and my directions and remember that I am the Leader.....not him!" This conversation rings in my ears often,  that was my 1st teacher parent conference with Ms. Kitty, late 60's , about 4 foot 9, retired school teacher,  when the little Prince Charming (PC) was in the 3 years old room in preschool.

So I went to my 1st teacher parent conference at the new school , and I braced myself before I went in since usually my conferences over his school career would usually end up with "PC doesn't do this, he doesn't do that". When this one started with " He is really a bright young man, it's amazing to see how his mind works, and the wheels are turning." Everything she had to say was positive, I even take this statement as positive" He sure is opinionated, but he is now not getting as annoyed with the other  kids and their quirks" Hummm, yep that sums it up, that totally sounds like him opinionated.
We started to discuss the upcoming goal day, which happens to be on PC's birthday, he will be 12 going on 42.

Ms. D the teacher  "Oh that reminds me, is it set in stone that PC will not be coming to school that Friday regardless if he earns the day off or not? "
ME: "What? No, if he doesn't earn it he will be here"
Ms. D. " Ok, we wanted to check , he told Ms. F that regardless he was not coming to school on April 26th it was his birthday and he didn't care if he earned the day or not he wouldn't be here"
ME: "Humm well I don't see that his birthday has become a national holiday, so he will be here unless he earns his goal day!"........... OMG- seriously you little twerp you told the teacher that???

First words out of PC's mouth last night when I got home were " Guess what I'm not doing tomorrow"

Me: "What?"
PC: "Going to school"
ME: "Like hell your not"
PC: " It's National Bring Your Child To Work Day" Really who the hell came up with that? I go to work to escape my child....not bring him to work!!
ME: "My job doesn't offer that program and dad works from home, so therefore YES you will be going to school tomorrow. Because it's not sit on your ass day and do nothing"

This went back and forth, and I was sure I had won the battle, even got him in the shower and dressed in the nick of time ready for school, of course the entire time I was being glared at, man if looks could kill, I'd be 6 feet under by now!!

BUT DAD SAID..... But dad said he'd think about it, but dad said that I could, but dad said you'd call the school and check on it! But Dad said...... then Dad pipes in with "Oh I looked it up on line, and even stay at home parents can participate" ... UGHHHHH DAD may very well be 6 feet under also!!

I called the school to validate that this school does not let you do that, they never sent anything home, plus he wouldn't earn the goal day, because he'd have to make up the work he missed today and  yada yada yada...... So I called.... AND OH FOR THE LOVE OF ...... Are you kidding me? I spent hours it felt like negotiating with this little terrorist and I was going to win, until the secretary confirmed that "Oh of  course they can go to work with their parents, she actually had her kids with her today (man sucks for them...they got out of school to ....go to school)  and that most his class was going to be out, oh and yes he did indeed earn that goal day again, by having his grades all B's and above!'

So yep, you guessed it, he stayed home and pulled up his chair and "went to work with dad" ..........might I remind you.......who works from home! Well played my boy, well played...you not only got Thursday off... you got Friday - your birthday off and did I mention that Monday is teacher pro ed day...so your off than too..... ..