First Day Follies

​My back-to-school experiences have been a series of memorable mishaps, like the time I unknowingly sent my daughter to her first day of school in pajamas. But perhaps the most unforgettable was Back-To-School 2014. My kids were starting at a new school, and we were all a bit anxious. We had missed the open house, so we hadn't met the teachers or seen the classrooms. I dropped my children off in the car line that morning, watching them walk into their beautiful new school, filled with possibilities.
By the end of the day, I eagerly picked them up, relieved to hear that they had loved their first day. Once we got home, I began tackling the mountain of back-to-school paperwork. Among the forms, one in particular caught my eye.
As an introductory activity, my daughter’s 4th-grade teacher had asked the students to write about their families, favorite foods, colors, and future aspirations. I smiled reading that my daughter’s favorite food was sushi and her favorite color was yellow. But my heart stopped when I saw her future aspiration: to dance on a pole!
On the back of the paper, in red marker, her teacher had left a note. She explained that she had asked my daughter more about her desire to live in the mountains and work as a pole dancer. My daughter clarified that she was referring to the acrobatic pole dancers in Cirque du Soleil—not the kind you’d find at Club Nikki. What a first impression!

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