[GrumpyGator]

My wife and I took our 7 year old to his first day back to school. After taking him to class and saying hello to all of the parents we know, we went to the cafeteria to put lunch money in his account.

While we were standing in line, this little guy finishes his school breakfast and asks the woman at the cash register where he was supposed to go. All he knew was that he was in 2nd grade. He didn't know his teacher's name or room that he was supposed to be in. The parent(s) were long gone by then. He was sent to the office to get directions.

Who does that to a 7 year old? People wonder why kids take the wrong path in life. Here's a hint, be involved in their lives and maybe it won't happen.

[wc deer hunter]

It's unfortunate that so many kids are born to complete morons these days. We really need to thin the herd a good bit. I'm just saying

[Flyboy]

I wouldn't be so quick to blame the parents.
When I was in 2nd grade (that was...1995/1996, I believe), parents actually WEREN'T ALLOWED to come into the school with us the first day, and teachers and rooms weren't assigned until the first day; the only info they gave before the start of the school year was the fact that we were still enrolled and the day it started. We were to be taken by a school monitor in groups to the lunch room, where they would assign us teachers and rooms.
Eventually that was lifted, but only as a blanket rule; some students were assigned, some weren't. And those who weren't, parents weren't allowed still. Don't know why.
When my younger brother started kindergarten, I was in 4th grade, and I was the one who had to guide him to and from his classroom for the first couple quarters of the school year.
If anything, I could just as easily blame the school for this.

[duster066]

My dad walked me to school for my very first day, and that was the end of parental involvement on the first day of each school year. In those days enrollment occurred at the school and the parent and child were shown the classroom and introduced to the teacher. My parents required us to memorize our room number and teachers name. On the first day we were on our own. With our kids we did the same, and for the first few years I would practice with them on the rout they were to take to school. On the first day they were sent off with no worries.

[wc deer hunter]

Originally Posted by duster066

My dad walked me to school for my very first day, and that was the end of parental involvement on the first day of each school year. In those days enrollment occurred at the school and the parent and child were shown the classroom and introduced to the teacher. My parents required us to memorize our room number and teachers name. On the first day we were on our own. With our kids we did the same, and for the first few years I would practice with them on the rout they were to take to school. On the first day they were sent off with no worries.

Same here but but my wife still goes and keeps a lookout on the first day.

[Flyboy]

Originally Posted by duster066

My dad walked me to school for my very first day, and that was the end of parental involvement on the first day of each school year. In those days enrollment occurred at the school and the parent and child were shown the classroom and introduced to the teacher. My parents required us to memorize our room number and teachers name. On the first day we were on our own. With our kids we did the same, and for the first few years I would practice with them on the rout they were to take to school. On the first day they were sent off with no worries.

Pretyt much the same with both my parents. My Mom was a Mom of course, so she was a bit more involved, but my Dad had his involvement strategy laid out in what I now call the "Mattis Approach."

1. If you didn't start the fight, I'll leave you alone.
2. If your grades stay good, I'll leave you alone.
3. If you f*ck up, I swear to God I'll make you pay for it.

Heck, if he ever had to drop us off at school, it was more of a "School's on the right, tuck and roll!"

[GrumpyGator]

It was the same for me. I walked to and from school every day until we moved out waaaay out in the country. When we moved out there, I would walk home from the bus stop and lock myself in until my mom got home from work.

You really can't do that in Florida anymore. At least not safely. I had my fingerprints done last week for my CCW. Behind the counter was a sign that stated "Mon, Wed and Fri from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm is reserved for sexual offender registration". Florida has no shortage of perverts running around. The area I live in is no exception. I asked the deputy about it in a somewhat joking manner and his response was, "we're really busy during those times." It blew me away that one of the sheriff's stations has to spend 12 hours a week taking fingerprints of sexual offenders, just to keep up.

I trust very few people where my kids are concerned. When it comes to my youngest, he is walked to class just about every day to make sure he gets there safely. There are three LEO's and at least 100 other parents that do the same thing as I do. Maybe I'm over protective. But, I'd rather be cautious than to have my child become a statistic. Other areas of the country may not have the same "sexual predator" problems we have in Florida. Down here, we have to watch our kids like a hawk.

I just felt bad for the little guy this morning. He had no books, paper, supplies or anything that might help him find where he was supposed to be. He was just dropped off to eat breakfast at school and left by himself. He was lost and looked really scared.

[Flyboy]

Originally Posted by GrumpyGator

It was the same for me. I walked to and from school every day until we moved out waaaay out in the country. When we moved out there, I would walk home from the bus stop and lock myself in until my mom got home from work.

You really can't do that in Florida anymore. At least not safely. I had my fingerprints done last week for my CCW. Behind the counter was a sign that stated "Mon, Wed and Fri from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm is reserved for sexual offender registration". Florida has no shortage of perverts running around. The area I live in is no exception. I asked the deputy about it in a somewhat joking manner and his response was, "we're really busy during those times." It blew me away that one of the sheriff's stations has to spend 12 hours a week taking fingerprints of sexual offenders, just to keep up.

I trust very few people where my kids are concerned. When it comes to my youngest, he is walked to class just about every day to make sure he gets there safely. There are three LEO's and at least 100 other parents that do the same thing as I do. Maybe I'm over protective. But, I'd rather be cautious than to have my child become a statistic. Other areas of the country may not have the same "sexual predator" problems we have in Florida. Down here, we have to watch our kids like a hawk.

I just felt bad for the little guy this morning. He had no books, paper, supplies or anything that might help him find where he was supposed to be. He was just dropped off to eat breakfast at school and left by himself. He was lost and looked really scared.

I did the same thing as that kid a few grades. My Dad was doing like ten different things, and my Mom was dealing with both work and college, so I would have to be up by...I think 6:30 AM, get to school by 7 AM or 7:30 AM. Would have breakfast there, of course. Then I would get home a little before 4:00 PM and chill by myself until around 8:00 PM when one or both of my parents got home. Then it was time for bed. My grandma took care of my brother before he started school, so really the most I saw of my parents for the week was getting me up to go to the bus stop and when they got home to tuck me in. And weekends.
Then they hired a babysitter, and that's where I spent the rest of my days.

[Austin]

By the time I was 7 I walked back and forth to school everyday.

I was always getting in trouble for dwaddling (word my Dad made up?) and not getting there in time.