100 Things

Every year since Big A started school, there has been this 100th Day of School Thing.  It involves celebrating the (duh) 100th day of school by having each child bring in 100 things.  From what I've seen on Facebook, apparently it isn't just their school, but a lot of schools that are doing this now.

The thing is, this means parents have to find some cheap thing that they can buy, or make perhaps, and bring in.  Something nut-free and hopefully non-offensive (nothing promoting violence, of course), most of the things each child brings in are silly little things that are given out to each child and end up in the bottom of their school bags with a whole bunch of other useless things.

We are a society that is obsessed with things.  Things, for some reason, bring us comfort.  Things are a reward.  In fact, its frightening how young children learn to value things.  Sure, we as parents have no one to blame but ourselves and the materialistic society we've created, but the schools certainly aren't helping any.  If my kids behave in class? They get a prize!  Usually its candy, something which really pisses me off, sometimes its various innocuous things (pencils, small toys, etc.). All I know is that my kids are always bringing home things!

To be honest, the worst thing is the arts and crafts.  Come on, I'm not evil, really!  I've heard many other parents complain of the same thing!

Here's the thing: its all recycled materials, which is a good thing, but its a bit frustrating when your kids are bringing home an old shoebox and toilet rolls with a few marker scribbles and telling you its  masterpiece, invaluable and we absolutely have to keep it for all eternity.  These things end up in a pile somewhere until we can sneak them out to the recycle box without the kids witnessing it.  They never miss these things let alone ever notice they are gone.  If they witness us trying to get rid of these things, however, it turns into a big thing and they have this massive meltdown thing until we want to poke something sharp into our eyes.

I guess I should be grateful that Big A is apparently now too old for 100th Day of School, which is today, so I was only responsible for getting Little A 100 useless things for this stupid thing.  I picked up a small bag of little red gem hearts.  I just hope these things stay at school and don't come home to be stored with all the other things cramming our drawers and cupboards that Thing One and Thing Two in this house never even use!