A few years ago, we went to open house at the school. We got to see the classroom and talk to the teacher. It wasn't bad. In and out. Painless.
Last week we went to open house at the school. We saw the classroom and met the teacher. Standard stuff. What is different is that Cari and I now know people.
As we walked down the hall we were constantly greeted by other parents. It's not that we are so popular. It is in part, the nature of a small town. THE reason we moved here. The halls were filled with adults and children greeting each other. It was really pretty cool at first. I didn't realize I knew so many people. Most of the people I saw I shook hands with or waved and kept walking. Cari seemed to stop more often for a longer conversation. It was ok for the first thirty minutes, but then I was ready to go.
I wasn't trying to be rude. I was tired. I whispered to Cari that it was time to leave. She nodded but chose to pretty much ignore my request. She didn't ignore me to be rude toward me, she was trying not to be rude to her friends.
I kept walking down the hall slowly. Trying not to stop. I was thinking what a social event this had become for me. I wasn't prepared for that. I had it in my mind that open house would only take fifteen minutes. Now it had been forty.
I think if I had planned in my mind that it would take forty minutes, I would not have become as irritated. I had some weird schedule in my mind and it irritated me that we went over the schedule.
4 comments:
That was exactly how Kel felt at the end of Beth's wedding. I ran into friends and he was well beyond ready to leave.
On the flip side teachers put a lot of time and effort into parents night, so the fact that people came and stayed for over 40 min probably made their year.
Molested by your doctor, breaking in a new barber and now this. It hasn't been an easy month for you has it? :( If you and your family would develop a reputation for being cannibals I guarantee that NO ONE will want to stop and talk to you and much less shake your hand. In and out...lickety split. :)
as a teacher, i always want parents in and out in 15 minutes too :) No chatting allowed...
Wow, you stayed 40 minutes? OK, I do take that back because we opened and closed Open House night. One of the things I did this new school year (biggest mistakes ever - maybe?) is that I joined the PTSA (Parent Teacher Student Assoc.) and I have a board position (yikes, why did I do that). Now talk about having to spend time with parents & teacher.
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