First Day of School Family Mantra

The first day of school seems to include multiple rituals or traditions. These vary from family to family and from house to house. To our family, the first day of school meant new shoes, the traditional photo leaving the house, and the reciting of the first day of school mantra.

Our family mantra started over thirty-three years ago at a dinner party of sorts. I was about five or six years old. We were all seated at the dinner table as my parents were hosting a fellow school teacher who worked at my father's school. And here is how the now famous dinner table conversation proceeded:

Dinner Guest (young elementary school teacher): So, Laura how was your day?

Laura: Fine.

Dinner Guest: What did you learn in school today?

Laura: Nothing.

Dinner Guest: Oh, come on now Laura, you must have learned something. Think hard. Tell us at least one thing you learned today.

SILENCE....extended silence...pressure now on while all eyes on grade one Laura.

Laura (taking a deep breath) : Well, um, I guess I learned something...When we were in story circle Mark, with the long hair, burped and we all laughed. Mrs. Hunt told us is was not polite to burp in class. So, I learnded not to burp in class.

Then, when we were working on our math paper, Mark, with the long hair farted and we all laughed. Mrs. Hunt was not happy and told us it was not polite to fart in class. So, I learnded not to fart in school.

Then, during art class, Mark, with the long hair, broke his crayon and he yelled, "FU*$". Mrs. Hunt got really mad and told us that it is not polite to say "FU*$" in school.

So, I guess today in school I learnded you should never burp, fart or say "FU*$" in school. Can I be excused now?????

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Yep - this conversation has become a family legend. From that day forward, as we left for our first day of school my mother could be heard reminding my father, my brother and myself:

" REMEMBER - NO BURPING, FARTING OR SAYING FU*$ IN SCHOOL. "

So, on Wednesday, when we attend DJ's intake interview with his Junior Kindergarten teacher, I plan to continue our first day of school family mantra and teach my school-going cutie the three key lessons of school - like any good mom should!

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Side bar: I wonder what ever happened to Mark, with the long hair...heck, wonder what ever happened to Mark, with the short hair!