Seeing Red

Chapter One

It all started on Monday...

Davíð got up, took Stefán to school and sent Kasper on his way. In Kasper's backpack was his lunch that I had packed the night before, extra socks and his rain pants. I assumed he would be wearing his rain coat to school.

Kasper did not wear his rain coat to school and I guess insisted that he wear his snow suit. The thing is pretty water proof and super warm so Davíð did not see it as a big problem and let Kasper have his way.

It rained on Monday, a lot.

At two in the afternoon, I was just walking towards Stefáns school, I get a phone call from Kasper's teacher.

She then proceeds to tear a strip of me. She states that I dress my son inappropriately for the weather. It had rained so much today and now Kasper was all wet. I apologized and promised it would not happen again, but this was not enough. She continued to rant and rave about how poorly dressed Kasper was, that now he was wet and there was nothing she could do about it. I had not been there in the morning so I told her all I knew is there was rain pants and extra socks in the bag. This is not enough! She was very angry that he was not wearing his raincoat. I said I did not know that, apologized again and said it would not happen again, again. Still she continued on about how important it is for me to to dress him properly and how I leave her in a bad position because, what is she supposed to do? 'He did not even have dry clothing to wear'

There is an huge lost and found full of clothing in case something like this happens. Mistakes happen, it is a part of life! I doubt she takes the time to call every parent to make them feel bad every time a kid gets wet socks.

I work nights so I am available during the day. I told her that if an emergency like this ever happens again, she could call me a little earlier, I would bring dry clothing.

When I went to pick up Kasper, it was not nearly so bad as the teacher had made it out to be. The snow suit was damp, sure, mostly around the hems. Yes his socks were wet and the hems of his pants. But he had a dry shirt on. He had a sweater with him and, because Kasper actually always over dresses, still had a dry pair of tights and extra pants on. It was not like he was completely soaked.

When I got to the school the teacher made a point of coming up to me and complaining about 'what was she supposed to do'?

Kasper then tells me off for not dressing him well enough. I reminded Kasper that first of all I was not even there in the morning, second of all he is almost 7 and should take a little responsibility because he wanted to wear the snow suit.


Chapter Two

I learned my lesson! I fill Kasper bag up with his lunch, extra pants, extra tights, 3 pairs of extra socks, extra underwear, and extra sweater, along with his rain clothing. What can go wrong now?

Today I pick him up, the weather was insane and still dry enough. It was a good thing he had all the extra clothing.

As we walk to the bus stop Kasper tells me off for packing so much clothing for him. He tells me his teacher is worried because I make him carry so much around.

Apparently I can do nothing right in this situation and she behaves like a divorced parent by passing messages to me through Kasper.

I am so angry that I only hope I manage to calm down a little at work tonight before I show up at the school tomorrow to express my opinion.

I smell discrimination here. This is not the first time I have been treated like I do not know anything about parenting and it always comes down to my age. I am not 18 anymore, in fact I am 26 - but still at least 5 years younger than any other parent in the school. I think that because of this some people feel the need to treat me like a child.

I know how to look after my children, including dressing them.

Mix ups happen!

I know a snow suit was not the best choice for Monday, but it was not a disaster.

If I make a mistake, I only need to be told once. I acknowledged the problem, apologized and said it would not happen again, this should be enough.

I do not need to be scolded like a child.

OK Time for a deep breath - tomorrow I will talk to the headmaster.