Listen up, men.
There is a right way and a wrong way to stay out of trouble with your wife during back to school planning for your children. I did it the wrong way.
It went something like this:
Wife buys $20 lunch kit for daughter in Grade 9 (going into high school).
Kit looks like a black satchel with a plastic TV dinner tray inside. Also comes with a convenient handle.
Wife gives it to daughter.
Daughter looks at it and appears shocked, then has a “are you kidding me?” look on her face.
Daughter says emphatically that there is no way she is walking down a hallway with that.
It is then suggested she carry it in her backpack until lunch time.
Again, there is no way she will let anyone see her open that geek of a lunch kit in school.
Wife is upset, reiterating how much she paid for it.
Doesn’t matter.
Daughter turns to dad (me) and asks my opinion. (I should have ran far away at that very moment, but didn’t.)
Instead, I took the lunch kit and pretended to be a geek walking down a hallway, merrily swinging it by my side.
First big mistake.
Then I joined in hearty laughter with my daughter, agreeing that no student should be caught dead possessing that thing.
Wife glares at me and repeats she spent $20 on it.
Daughter and I continue snickering and laughing.
I was at the point of no return and got the cold shoulder the rest of the night.
Lesson learned.
Side with your wife in such matters or suffer the consequences.
We did agree that it was ridiculous for children to think that way; to be so image-conscious that taking a lunch to school in a practical container is akin to walking down the hallway in your underwear.
Sadly, showing up to high school with that lunch kit would have prompted weird stares and teasing. A bully magnet for sure.
“Does your mother make you eat all your peas, too?”
The following are some truly “cool” back to school tips from our provincial government:
See what students will be learning this year: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/
Most elementary school students are eligible for $1,200 through the B.C. Training and Education Savings Grant. Sign up at http://ow.ly/eAut3035ngT
Drive safe or pay up! If you blow past a school bus with its lights flashing you’ll now face double the fine – that’s $368.
Calling all athletes, academics and artists. Make your hard work pay off by applying for a B.C. scholarship at www.bced.gov.bc.ca/awards
Worried your child might be involved in bullying? Need to report bullying? Find out what you can do at http://www.erasebullying.ca/
Families on income and disability assistance can get help with back to school costs. Find out more at http://ow.ly/YKUS303mQKB
Lyonel Doherty, editor
