Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Gown Day

My best friend L., or more accurately, her dear mama, Miss Judy, is the inventor of what we call here Chez O "gown day."  Okay, some people might call it "playing hooky" or "faking sick" or "unexcused absence," but those people suck.  Grades must be kept up and you can't miss a test, but seriously, school is a 175 day slog and we're on about day 140-something.



As a teacher, trust me, I know the value of each instructional day.  I know how important it is for kids to be at school.  And I know the rules.  I also know that the kid that you most want to be absent every day has had perfect attendance since preschool.  But that's another post.   The system doesn't reward the kids who don't get sick.  They used to give you a bicycle for having perfect attendance.  Not anymore.  Sometimes, they called your name out at an assembly.  Big deal.  Sometimes what you really want, what you really need, is just a day off.

So, each semester, as long as no one's missed a day for other reasons (besides school team sports, which can't be helped), you get a gown day.

The rules for gown day are as follows:
1.  You must remain in your pajamas all day if possible, although dressing to go to the movies (a/k/a homeschool popular culture) or go shopping (a/k/a homeschool economics) or get a pedicure (a/k/a homeschool chemistry) are permitted.
2.  You must sleep late and not wake Mama who as the bestower of gown day is also an unintended beneficiary of same.
3.  You must clean up after yourself because Mama doesn't clean up after you when you're supposed to be at school.
4.  You will probably have to eat cookies or other naughty foods.  Because you can.

I don't know who's more excited them or me.

Shhhhhhhhhhhhh!



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