Much Ado About Nothing Much
Spring is almost sprung and it struck me yesterday that as I get older the decision to have kids late in life has more apparent consequences. For instance, I am just about to the point where I will need reading glasses to cut Kid 2's fingernails. Also, I keep meeting my kids' friends' mothers and they look younger and younger. And blonder and blonder. Cest la vie.
I just received a six page document via email outlining the remaining activities etc. planned for the 5th grade...the class going into Junior High. Boy, it's going to be a tough season for keeping tongue in cheek and dismay disguised. There are parties, trips, rehearsals, days off, half days, beach outings, free jewelry from Tiffany's (I made that one up)--all in all--an appalling display of much ado about not much.
You'd think they'd all attained early admission to an Ivy League school upon graduation from high school. Instead, they're going to junior high. That's some achievement--they made it through the first six years of school--halfway, in essence. Westchester's best and brightest 11-year-olds will be feted for nearly two months straight for making it to junior high. Are their little egos so gelatinous at this point that if a BFD isn't made they might all vaporize into little piles of skin and bones? What's the advantage of making a big deal out of something that's not really either an achievement or even much of a milestone? How will they know which milestones are truly personally meaningful to them if so many artificial ones are offered up?
I don't get it. I suspect that too many stay-at-home Moms in our town have way too much time on their hands and way too much money to throw around. For a few--especially those with firstborn sons--this probably IS a milestone. I can imagine myself being truly relieved in a few years when Kid 2 makes it through 5th grade. But he'll be bitching and moaning, grumbling and groaning throughout all these activities and then we will laugh about it all at home. Kid 1 loves all this foolishness. She's the first and it's her time to bask in the spotlight--no matter how silly I find all of it. I hope I don't bite my tongue off during the next few months or so.
I just received a six page document via email outlining the remaining activities etc. planned for the 5th grade...the class going into Junior High. Boy, it's going to be a tough season for keeping tongue in cheek and dismay disguised. There are parties, trips, rehearsals, days off, half days, beach outings, free jewelry from Tiffany's (I made that one up)--all in all--an appalling display of much ado about not much.
You'd think they'd all attained early admission to an Ivy League school upon graduation from high school. Instead, they're going to junior high. That's some achievement--they made it through the first six years of school--halfway, in essence. Westchester's best and brightest 11-year-olds will be feted for nearly two months straight for making it to junior high. Are their little egos so gelatinous at this point that if a BFD isn't made they might all vaporize into little piles of skin and bones? What's the advantage of making a big deal out of something that's not really either an achievement or even much of a milestone? How will they know which milestones are truly personally meaningful to them if so many artificial ones are offered up?
I don't get it. I suspect that too many stay-at-home Moms in our town have way too much time on their hands and way too much money to throw around. For a few--especially those with firstborn sons--this probably IS a milestone. I can imagine myself being truly relieved in a few years when Kid 2 makes it through 5th grade. But he'll be bitching and moaning, grumbling and groaning throughout all these activities and then we will laugh about it all at home. Kid 1 loves all this foolishness. She's the first and it's her time to bask in the spotlight--no matter how silly I find all of it. I hope I don't bite my tongue off during the next few months or so.
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