She is ready.  Really ready.  Like, chomping at the bit, raring to go.

I am ready too.  I’ve already sent one child to Kindergarten, and I know the ropes.  I have complete confidence in the school and the kindergarten team there.  I know Cupcake will blossom in Kindergarten.

I am ready.

I kind of am not, too.

My little girl is my constant shadow and my mini-me.  The past two school years, we have had an especially sweet time every day when her big brother Bito was at school, and her little brother BabyMuffin was napping.  It was just Mommy and Cupcake time.

I’ve been threatening to homeschool Cupcake so that I can keep her close to me for another year.  Cupcake is adamantly opposed to the idea—she cannot wait to get to Kindergarten in a classroom setting, make new friends, and learn like her big brother does at school!  And to be honest, I have no intention of homeschooling any of my kids.  No, thanks.

Still, I will miss the dedicated time I have had with my girl.  I will miss my constant companion, and I will always cherish the years I’ve had her at home with me.  But I won’t keep her from going to on to new and better things.  It’s for the best for her…and for me.

Wooden cutout flowers, paint, stick on jewels, pipe cleaner, and a pencil
(plus I used my power drill to make a small hole in the center of the flowers).
Voila!

Well, lots of things.  But today, I’m going to give in and actually tell you by posting a rare rant in my blog.

Bito’s public school and Cupcake’s private preschool are currently running the same fundraiser that all the other schools in the DC Metro area are no doubt running.

I hate that my children are little salespeople that are sent out to raise money for their schools.

And yes, it’s really me that is doing it because I’m not about to let Bito and Cupcake hawk the products of this company, even if their schools will receive 50% of all sales profits.  I’m not about to put the burden of raising money for their schools on their little heads.

I get angry reading the info sheets that come home with thick envelope of the latest fundraiser.  I’m afraid my kid will be the only one who doesn’t sell something and therefore, won’t receive a “prize.”  I don’t want Bito and Cupcake not to get some cheap little toy that everyone else will get because they sold one, ten, a hundred or a zillion items.  I don’t want my child to be sad because they don’t get to attend the Ice Cream Social because they didn’t bring in $xxx amount of orders.

And so I dutifully ask neighbors and family members if they’d be interested in supporting Bito and Cupcake.  I send out emails with the online codes that can be used for out of area friends and family.  I half-heartedly tout the awesomeness of the products in an effort to get some orders.

I don’t like it.  I feel guilted into getting some orders so my kid won’t be sad he/she didn’t get some little toy or a scoop of ice cream.

And while I’m on a rant, let me just say that what really burns is that this fundraising has to be done in the first place, especially in public schools.  This is my children’s education, for crying out loud!  Supposedly it’s an investment for the future of the country, too, right?  Why are the schools forced to to get money in such a fashion?  There is something wrong here!

Sadly, this will be a part of my life for the next twenty-some years as my three children progress through school.  The Husband and I are committed to public education and will do what we need to do.  You’ll probably hear this rant every September from me.

And if you want to order anything…let me know.