Random Kindergarten Notes

1. The kids are counting out 100 trail mix food items for the 100th day of school. I was wondering why the raisins were so hard until I looked at the red box. "Best before 040107" As tossing the hard work in full view is likely to result in a revolt, magically the raisins will become soft and juicy by morning.

2. The school is celebrating Chinese New Year with a parade. Lovely idea, but the Kindergarten students are supposed to bring in flip flops and a bathrobe. You know, to simulate the traditional Kimono. We are thinking of sending the kids in their Judo Gis, as long as Japanese dress is considered close enough.

Kindergarten Marketing

The kids started Kindergarten this year. The school has a number of seemingly reasonable ways to stay in contact with us. Each child has a "parent-teacher communication folder" and we've signed up for the school and district e-mail messaging system. More often than not, these tools are used for fundraising. The kids have been in school two months and already I have thrown out jewelery catalogs, gift wrap catalogs, spirit wear catalogs, market day catalogs, book fair catalogs, gift card order forms, gift catalogs, catalogs from companies who will make products of your child's artwork, and countless others. The kids participated in a walk-a-thon during school which we received a donation sheet for, without any indication what the charity was. It was the school. I guess that was supposed to be obvious. Every "backpack e-mail" from the district is a list of upcoming events. Most of them are " It is Suburban-School-District-101 night at X, X will donate $Y of your purchase to SSD 101!" or announcements about the catalogs being sent home. On top of that, the kids came home the other day singing the Fast Food Song.