I didn't know to be thankful for a kid who doesn't take attendance until I had one who does, so I'd like to retroactively appreciate Alexis, please.
Thanks, kid. It's pretty cool that you've never cared if I show up for school holiday parties or concerts or cheer events or any of that.
NOW TEACH YOUR SISTER.
::sigh::
Mila takes attendance. She always has. If there is a performance at the end of dance class, I better be in the front row. If there is a holiday party at school, I better be a parent volunteer. And I sure better be in the audience when the school Halloween parade walks through.
I MADE IT! HUZZAH!
Every year, the elementary school does a parade with all of the kids on Halloween. It's usually at about 1:30 or 2:00, which is just swell for working parents. There's nothing I enjoy more than making sure I block off two hours on my calendar so I can walk my kid walk past in half her costume. Obviously, with Alexis, it didn't matter if I went or not. Thus, I did it a few times, but only the years when it worked with all things work.
Mila, though. I know Mila cares if I show up.
I arranged my entire day around that thirteen second parade. I'm not exaggerating how long it is, by the way. It truly took thirteen seconds for Mila to walk in the door and then pass by me. I know it took that long because she entered one door of the gymnasium at the exact moment I entered the other door and I raced her to the seating area. Anyone watching would have thought I was competing on Supermarket Sweep because ZOOOM! But! I made it! And Mila had no idea that I had just gotten there.
Still, despite the adrenaline rush from being in a hurry, it's quite the feeling when you know your kid wants you to attend and then that kid sees you across a room, smiles, and waves. Mila was SO pleased. So very pleased. It was kind of her to be the second kid in line, by the way. As in, period. Of all kids in all grades. It's as if she was in a hurry to take attendance. It's a really good thing I was mostly on time.
Which is more than I can say for the poor dad I encountered on my way out.
Since Mila was second in line, I didn't see any reason for me to stay to watch the whole parade. I could have counted Descendents characters, but let's go ahead and assume ALL OF THEM. ALL OF THE KIDS WERE DESCENDENTS CHARACTERS. So I left as soon as kindergarten was done. Sorry, big kids! I made the trek back to my car, but as I was walking down the big hill, there was a dad literally running up. He was out of breath, but focused on his destination. "What grade?" he panted as he passed me.
"They're probably on second grade by now," I answered. I knew kindergarten was for sure done, but first grade likely was as well as it had been a couple of minutes since I walked out.
The dad stopped running. He froze in his tracks, made a disappointed face, and then continued his trudge towards the parade, albeit at a greatly reduced pace.
I hope his kid isn't an attendance taker.