When it comes to teachers, I often feel as though we're in 2 different worlds: ours and theirs. In our world there is working from 8am-6pm, no prep time for anything and homework to deal with. In their world, there is working from 9-3:30, 12.5 minutes of prep time/day and homework to hand out. I'm sure it's not easy being a teacher but you have to admit, it can't really be that hard either. I'm sure teachers know that the general population feels this way, and I'm POSITIVE that's why Sam's teacher decided to hold "Royal Day" in April.
Royal Day.
Sounds like a lot of fun for the kids, huh? Sounds like fairy tales and a party. But for me, it was hell....
I'm sure it wouldn't be so bad for the parents of a little girl. After all, what little girl doesn't have a fairy princess dress in her closet left over from Halloween? Well, Sam was a fire truck for Halloween last year and I don't think there was many of those in the fairy tale times. So, I set out to buy him a dragon/king/jester/even a dog costume. Yeah. Good luck finding a costume on April the 29th in Newmarket....actually, there is a costume store right on Main Street but apparently they aren't open on April the 29th. So I did what I had to do. I headed straight for the fabric store.
I've always been one for a challenge and making the Royal King costume was a big challenge for me. I chose a metre of beautiful deep red velvet and 3 metres of faux fur to line it with. I was feeling really great because they had what I was looking for!! Then I got to the counter to pay...."O.K.! That will be $77 please." ummmm, PARDON?!!? Apparently, 1 metre of Royal F**king Velvet costs $39! So, he really is royalty in that uber-expensive cape.
I got home with my supplies and blew the dust off my sewing machine. The only thread in it was bright yellow. Hmmm. That's a bit of a problem because I don't know how to thread my bobbin and I can't find the instructions to the machine or my sewing supplies. So, yellow it is!! I spray-painted his crown gold and decorated it with beads and sequins. Three hours later we had a King!
It's funny because it did all turn out ok, but I don't have that sense of happy accomplishment. I'm still kind of bitter with the teacher about Royal Day. But when I got up this morning and Sam wanted me to put his cape on immediately I realized that I didn't go to all that trouble for the teacher. I did it for my kid.