The End is Nigh

20 years ago

Our youngest son starts year 12 this year, and frankly, I won't be sorry when the year is over. I am just so sick of washing and letting down grey school pants, washing cricket and rugby uniforms and searching for socks and ties. Then there are the smelly school bags which get dumped just inside the front door with the promise, "I'll move them later". I don't want to watch anymore rugby games through sleet, make lamingtons or attend parent/teacher evenings. I've also had enough of male teachers who, on parent/student camps, can't understand why I don't wish to share a 2 man tent with Samantha's mother, (having already heard on the bus about the designer labels she and Sam picked up on a recent shopping trip to Paris). I hope I manage to get through the year without being rostered on canteen duty with Rianna's mother because, this will leave me wondering how anyone can actually wear that many rings and still manage to make sandwiches. I can also get by without listening to any more school bands, sitting through school plays and speech nights and anything else that requires me to sit on an uncomfortable chair in a cold and drafty or hot and stuffy auditorium for more than an hour.

Phew! I feel so much better having said all that.

P.S. If you are one of those mothers who finds/found all of the above wonderful, please resist the temptation to make me feel guilty, I only want to hear about the things I've left off the list. Go on, I'm sure there are heaps!

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Comments (9)

youngquinn_gw
20 years ago
Dear Wattleblossom, hang in there the end is truly in sight. Its great on the other side!!! My son finished year 12 last year ie he has been at uni for 1 year and it is great.
YOU NEVER HAVE TO HAVE A PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEW AGAIN!
BUT i STILL BET YOU WILL BE IN TEARS AT HIS LAST SPEECH NIGHT AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, i KNOW i WAS. CHEERS PAM
Sparaxis
20 years ago
dear WB - you are truly a wonder woman. How could you have endures such torture. I sympathise entirely.
I must say - I enjoyed watching my eldest daughter graduate, and was very teary when I realised she had been up on the Melb uni grad stage before - when I graduated 6 months before she was born.
I opted out of many of the secondary school things, having been very active at kinder and primary. I was teaching 55 piano students per week by secondary and most of that was after school times and evenings so I just couldn't do it and have a life of my own too.
3 of our six kids didn't complete secondary, but we have 3 with degrees, another on the way, and another considering uni this year, so all in all they did pretty well.
BTW - they do come back - for a meal, for money, for approval and hugs, for a lend of anything in your house that is moveable - LOL.
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mooquack
20 years ago
... and anything in the shed that's moveable too!
robyn5760
20 years ago
... and feeding - don't foget the feeding. They descend with their friends like a plague of locusts, eat everything, then leave.
User
20 years ago
WB, I think we all understand and sympathise with you. You are not alone!! BTW these thoughts do not make you a bad parent...just a normal one.
Dheers,
Dee.
goldhills
20 years ago
I've still got a long way to go - about 12yrs. My son (the eldest still at home) starts high school this year and my youngest starts preschool this year (yippee!!!!!). I'm looking forward to a few hours of peace - that makes me sound more like a bad mother than you, WB :)

I don't help in the tuckshop as I hate anything to do with housework, cooking, etc but I do my share in the school garden - actually do more hours there than I would in the tuckshop.

I don't mind the concerts, etc, as being a smallish school, average 250 kids, they don't have many concerts or other get-togethers and everyone is friendly including the teachers - we usually end up having a friendly chat. At least my kids aren't into competitive sports like football, cricket, etc so I don't have to spend my time driving them around. They prefer to have fun playing these at home with mates and family.

I'm half dreading my son going to high school with nearly 1000 or so kids. A big change for my son. I won't be getting so involved with the high school though, I'll do my share at primary instead.
annie_____
20 years ago
My daughter started Year 12 this year, too.
AND SHE DID HER OWN BOOK LIST!!!
In one way, I was looking forward to this, simply because it was the last but hey! I'll survive the disappointment.

I don't suppose this is an issue with your son but has he started planning for Schoolies Week?
My DD tells me that most of the kids in her HSchool made the bookings in Oct/Nov last year!
wattleblossom
Original Author
20 years ago
Schoolies! I'd forgotten about that, it's been 2 years since my middle son left school. You're right about it being less of an issue with boys, probably because boys just seem to get more freedom. It's the same with school formals: The girls plan it right down to the colour of their nails and the boys just put on a suit and go. Much the same as a wedding really.
paradisi
20 years ago
Do you really think the end is nigh? Wait until he comes home and says "mum, I want to go to uni" - no uniforms but you still get to keep a student at home and do everything for him.

good luck

The End is Nigh

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youngquinn_gw

Sparaxis

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