Just Because You're Paranoid Doesn't Mean No One Is Out To Get You

I think Ironflower is going to have to go to a different preschool next year. We had another meltdown at dismissal today, but it wasn't really her fault. Her improvement last week had made us all so happy. I guess I got cocky (why does it have to be cocky? Why can't it be breasty or vulvanic or something?).

My first mistake was allowing Lovebug to come to the gate with me. He was wide awake and I felt so bad leaving him in the car as he said, "Mama, mama, go,". We got out at 11:28 am and strolled to the gate. Lovebug let me carry him in the parking lot and was pretty chill when we got to the playground gate. A few moms even said hi to us.

Ironflower came to the gate and smiled and waved. Instinct told me to grab her right then, but years of teaching made me want to follow the rules. So I told her to go sit with the other kids (the teachers sit them on benches near the gate and then call names to dismiss). That was when the trouble started.

Because Mrs.G didn't notice my daughter behaving appropriately. She didn't notice Lovebug and me standing at the gate. She ignored us. And we waited. And Lovebug wanted to get down. Then he wanted to run away. Then, well, basically he wanted on that playground because Ironflower wasn't coming out.

Ironflower, meanwhile, waited for Mrs. G to call her name. She watched her brother melt down. When ALL the other kids had been dismissed, Mrs. G called to Ironflower. Because Ironflower didn't pop right up, Mrs. G scooped her up and started walking her to the gate. That's when Ironflower started screaming.

Of course we had a nice audience again. This time, though, I didn't even attempt to hold the kids appropriately. As I was about to sprint to the car, minimizing my humiliation time, Lovebug kicked off his shoe. One mom grabbed it and even put it back on for me, as I held onto both kicking and screaming kids. This mom deserves a special place in heaven and someday I will tell her so. Today all she got was an over-the-shoulder "thank you" as I raced to the car.

Lovebug was fine once he was strapped in and hand his talking steering wheel. Not that it didn't require superhuman strength to strap him in. Exhausted, I went to Ironflower's side and asked her what the hell her problem was. (Okay, I didn't say that, exactly, but she knew what I meant). Ironflower had started to cry because she had wanted to walk to me herself and the teacher hadn't let her. She was sad she hadn't gotten to be a big girl.

After Ironflower was safely strapped in, I went back to the playground. The teacher was inside, but the school director was there. I told her the problem. I hope things are better on Thursday. Well, I'll make a big deal out of it if they're not. Part of me thinks I'm paranoid to think Mrs.G doesn't like us, part of me has seen a few teachers who have favorites (those would be the children of all the class mothers who told me how great she is) and not-favorites. And treat them accordingly.

I hope I'm wrong.