Seriously….what else do I NOT know? The Finale

Fast forward two years.

So a little over a week ago I was going through my morning rounds checking email and facebook and saw a post from a friend on facebook that she was dreading having to get up “at the crack of dawn tomorrow to wait in line all day to enroll her child in PUBLIC Kindergarten.” Several thoughts entered my mind. The first being, “Oh no!! She lives in Allen. WE live in Allen.” My second thought being, “Don’t all kids get into Kindergarten at the school in their neighborhood?” And the third thought being, “I better check into this ASAP!” Unfortunately the investigation would have to be put on temporary hold until that evening when I would see her at Nolan’s Open House. (Side note. Her son and Nolan are in the same class at the now infamous preschool. She was referencing her older son in her post on facebook).

Before I had the chance to talk with her at Open House, I had the good fortune to run into one of my neighbors with two children currently enrolled at our neighborhood elementary school and one in our preschool. I knew she could help me get to the bottom of the situation. I quickly began explaining to my neighbor that one of my friends had to wait all day to enroll her son into Kindergarten at an Allen elementary school. “Oh yes” she instantly stated. You will have to do that too for our school. “WHAT!!” I said back. “How can this be? I thought it was a given your child goes to the elementary school IN.OUR.NEIGHBORHOOD!!!” “Not necessarily” she replied. “New students that have older siblings already enrolled get first priority, then children in Special Education, and THEN regular students. By then there are only 30 or 40 open spots. When I dropped my kids off this morning there was already a huge line of mothers (big surprise) waiting. And registration did not start until 3 PM.” “I just cannot believe this.” I muttered back. Here I go again. She went on to say it should get better soon with the City of Allen building several new elementary schools. I should have known this would be a problem. Every family that lives in this city seems to have 2.2 kids all under the age of six! I thanked her for the information and headed to Nolan’s classroom.

As we made our way down the hallway, I shared the dreaded news with my mom and James. Of course my mom was “Johnny on the Spot” empathizing with my frustration, disbelief, and panic. I think she even agreed to wait in line with me registration day next year when I apparently must camp out to enroll Nolan in PUBLIC education. I do not quite remember what James’ response entailed. Open House is all such a blur now. Knowing him it probably included some eye rolling and muttering under his breath about having a whole year to hear me worry about this. When I saw my friend in Nolan’s classroom she confirmed she waited in line from 6:30 AM to 3:00 that afternoon to enroll her oldest son successfully in school. It looks like I will be doing the same darn thing.

I do what I have to do, no doubt about it. But what really bothers me the most is: What if I had not known about this? What if I had not seen that post on facebook? Would I have just shown up at 3:00 PM on registration day clueless? I hope not, but it begs the question, “What else do I NOT know?” I don’t like that question circling in my head over and over again over the past week or so with no answers. I like to always be “in the know” and it scares me I do not have complete control over this situation. And the reality is, as a mom to a four year old and eight month old, I still have A LOT to learn about this whole new life that is parenthood.

And how naive was I to think the days of having to stand in line to enroll my children in something were going to be few and far between? Apparently I will be frantically trying to enroll Nolan in preschool summer camps through Allen ISD online in just a few short weeks because the rumor is “they fill up really fast.” Well at least I can’t be surprised by that statement anymore.

And one final comment. I have turned into one of those moms. You know…. the moms that will do anything to get their kids “in.” I don’t know when it happened. I would like to think based on principle alone I would not succumb to that insanity, but apparently not. It just sucks you in before you even realize it. Is it because I just love Nolan and Griffin that much? Is it because I just can’t stand to lose? Who knows! Maybe a little of both, but regardless, it has happened. I am “one of them.” I will embrace it because, what choice do I have?

And now I guess I better go. I probably have a line I need to go stand in. I might as well go buy some camping gear too because apparently I will be doing this sort of thing for the next eighteen years or so.