Tabula Rasa - 08/05/2006

First day of school - this Monday. I went school-clothes shopping last week while J was still camping with his grandfather, so I pretty much had all his clothes done. Today we went to get a backpack, shoes and school supplies. On the school supply front - Target was wiped out. Geez-um-Pete. We could not find one single folder with brads. They were plain folders. I think we still have some from last year, though.

We live 2.6 miles from the school. Anything over 2 miles, you get a bus. Nope, not here. It is supposed to be 2 miles. They are saying we are 2 miles away. Sure...if you go as the crow flies...over a lake! Dagnabit. It is a long haul and I have to leave the house at 7:10. School does not start until like 8:50 or something like that. So, we're still not sure what to do. The neighbor has a son in 7th I think, whose mom drives him. I may see if she can take Jake along for the ride and we'll pitch in for gas $$. It's either that or J rides 2.6 miles to school on his bike, or David wakes up, loads the toddler in the car and drives J there. And picks him up in the afternoon. What a pain.

He's nervous. New school, new building layout, new people to meet. I told him he had a clean slate, a tabula rasa. He can be whoever he wants to be. No one knows him. He can be Mr. Confident. We got his schedule Friday and walked the school. He was shuffling along with his head down. I told him "Hold your head up. Look people in the face. Don't give anyone any excuse to pick on you." A couple of girls checked him out, too. *snicker* He's 12 and he is 5' 6". And a cutie. Today at Kohl's, he said he thought the reason he was never picked on up to now is because he's so big for his age. He's still nervous though. *sigh* I wish I could be there with him, just invisible, so as not to embarrass him. ;)