Polar Opposites

Maizie and Teddy are so completely different when it comes to school; I’m surprised they live in the same house sometimes.  Teddy absolutely, positively loves school. Maizie HATES it with every fabric of her being (at least while she’s getting ready).

Once Maizie gets to school, she’s fine. She has a great time. It’s not like we send her to some sort of torture camp for six hours a day.

When there is a day off, Maizie is thrilled; Teddy, on the other hand, is very disappointed. (You would think he was never going back) Maizie will gladly take a sick day, personal day, doctor’s appointment, you name it. Teddy had to be convinced to stay home from school when his nose was dripping with goo. He kept insisting, “He could make it,” and “The class has tissues.”

Then there’s lunch, Teddy could eat anything; Maizie will eat next to nothing. At the beginning of the year I packed her elaborate lunches, hoping she’d eat some of it. I would pick her up from school and she would have everything still in her lunch bag except for her juice box. Teddy asked me to pack an extra snack (he only goes half day). Much to my surprise, Maizie decided one day to get school lunch; from then on, she gets a salad every day. Teddy now gets half a sandwich, a snack and a juice box.

Homework. Today was Teddy’s first day of homework. He took the paper out of his folder, held it by the corner and said, “What is this paper all about?” Ted and I, through laughter, told him it was his homework. He promptly sat at the desk, demanded a pencil and went to work. Maizie denied she had homework. When I showed her she said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She did tonight’s homework with a lot less drama than last week. Although she did huff and puff through the whole thing.

I can’t say I blame Maizie; I hated school when I was a kid. When I say that, it often surprises people, since I did end up becoming a teacher.