Understatement of the Year

To say that Jackson hates school would be.... well, the understatement of the year. There is no way to convey to you the amount he has cried. He cries from the time he gets off the bus until he goes to bed. When he wakes up in the morning, he instantly starts crying.

It's been a joy.

By 7:25 in the morning, I am ready for a really strong drink. And, I don't mean coffee.

He is relentless and persistant and ANNOYING! One of these days, those first two character qualities may pay off... but they are not going to work on me.

I don't have the gift of mercy... unless maybe you're an orphan or sick.

I may feel sorry for him if he weren't so discontent when he is home. We can get home from swimming all day, pull in the driveway and he'll say, "I'm bored. There's nothing to do!"

It's all I can do not to reach around and smack him upside the head!

He wants planned activities for every second of the day? Welp, he's in luck! School runs on a schedule. Math, reading, recess, lunch... ha!

I'll give it to him though, he can lay it on thick and for hours at a time. I thought I'd give you a run down on the things I've heard this week. Please keep in mind, this is a very small list I am going to give you. I WISH I were exaggerating when I say this goes on for HOURS at a time!

"It's just not my kind of school!"

"I'm not used to Christian school."

"They don't even care if I have a stomach ache! All they care about it God!"

"Do you know what I like best about school?"

"What buddy?"

"When I get to go home!"

"I never got the chance to be homeschooled."

"I don't want to go to school. It's not my dream come true. My dream come true is to go to homeschool."

"Mom, I have a cough and I don't want to give it to the whole school."

"It's embarassing for me to cry."

"Well, then don't cry!"
"How am I suppose to not cry?"


"I haven't done homeschool in my whole entire life. 1st grade is a good time to homescool."

"I didn't cry today because Mrs. ____ (principal) checked on me every hour."

"I really want you to change your mind soon so I don't have to go to this school or any other school."

"Will you feel my head? I think I have a fever."

"My stomach hurt so bad today, I almost threw up. Do you want me to throw up at school?"

"I'm not going to school in the morning. Don't wake me up. I'm tired. I need to sleep in."

This is coming from the same kid that pitched a fit last week because I thought he was sick, let him sleep in and took him to the doctor. He was so mad that I didn't get him up and let him ride the bus.

And, finally, he's never off. He's always on his game.

Tonight, I had him in the shower and he yelled for his towel when he was done. I opened the door to the shower to hand him his towel and I said, "Whoo! That's a hot shower, buddy!"

I went into the girls' room and was getting Emme ready for bed. He comes in, towel around his body, face flushed from his 140 degree shower and says, "I take really hot showers when I am sad."

Anyway, the list of pleading goes on and on and on.

He really is miserable. He doesn't play when he gets home. He doesn't eat much. He falls asleep before we put him in bed.

Should I remind him that he used to be so bad that I had to put him in his room and put TWO gates up so he couldn't get out? It was the only way to regain my sanity. And, yes, two gates...one on top of the other in the doorframe of his room... BECAUSE HE COULD CLIMB OVER ONE!

Should I remind him that he had to sleep in crib tent so I didn't have to chase hime back to bed 10 times during a nap or at night?

Naaa! I think I'll just hold him and love him. This too shall pass, huh?