Bad Mom Of The Day

My youngest son is almost 5 and participates in Florida's Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten program, aka VPK. For three hours each morning he gets to play with other children and practice being in a large group setting; all for free. He loves it and I am happy that he has had the opportunity to get out of the house. When his brother started Kindergarten last year it was just the two of us. We had great times, but I felt that he was missing out. He had no children in our neighborhood with which to play. He needed to make some friends.


Today, as I dropped him off, I realized that I had forgotten to bring a clear, plastic, 20 oz. bottle and a tube sock, per parent newsletter instructions. I asked his teacher if they had any extras, or should I run to Wal-Mart really fast and pick these things up quickly. She replied,"No don't worry about it. He'll be fine!" So, I didn't worry about it and chalked it up to a minor slip-up on my part. I wasn't feeling overwhelmed with guilt.

Upon my return to pick him up, his other teacher informed me that she had let him use her plastic bottle to make their art project, but that it had to stay in the classroom. He got to make it for her, but couldn't bring it home. All the while, she wore an annoyed and condescending look upon her face. While we drove home my son began to tear up and say that he wanted to have one to take home like everyone else. Oh....the guilt I felt....and the irritation that I was told not to worry about it. I reassured him that we could get all the components they used for their project and make it at home. He cheered up quickly and began making plans for making multiples and including his brother in the process. I was pleased that I had been able to brush away his sadness, but I am still irrtitated that things happened the way they did. I know that I have been labeled "bad-mom-of-the-day" by his teacher.


I guess I'll have to let go of my frustration, but this isn't the first time that this teacher has rubbed me the wrong way. I consider myself a great mom and yet, even though I know that I am, it still bugs me to be viewed as "less than" over a dumb plastic bottle and a white tube sock.

Oh well, I guess it could be worse. I could forget to feed, clothe, bathe, teach and nurture him. But as long as I brought a tube sock with him, maybe I would get an approving look.