It’s happened to everyone: you’re lying in bed and a list of things you
need for the morning starts running through your head. Most of us just get up,
quickly jot down the list, and go back to bed unencumbered by pesky and
potentially panic-inducing details. When you’re only 11, however, you don’t
necessarily think of making that list. Nor does the list of things come all at
once. Cue: sleepless night for Mom.
Milo’s class organized a Cafe afternoon with their French teacher to put
their current unit into practice. Each student was responsible for bringing in a
food item, either juice or water or small baked goods, like one would find at a
cafe. Then as a class they created a menu and common phrases they would need to
serve customers. An invitation was sent to parents to attend their French Cafe
after lunch. It was quite lovely: the desks were arranged in groups and set with
table cloths and fake candles, students wore aprons and berets, dress shirts and
ties, and French music (think Edith Piaf) played in the background. The night
before all this, however, was not quite so quaint.
About 45 minutes after Milo went to bed he knocked on our door. “Mom, do
you know where my tie is?” Yes, Milo, it should be in your closet. Go back to
bed.
The second knock came about 30 minutes later. “Mom, I need my good shirt.
Do you know where it is?” Yes, Milo, it’ll be in the closet with your tie. Now
go to sleep!
The last straw – I mean, the third knock woke me at 11:30 pm. “Mom, did you
make the muffins?” No, remember you said I could bring them in at lunch, so I’ll
make them in the morning. “But, no! I need to bring them with me in the
morning!”
So up I got, mixed up a double batch of banana oat muffins and set my alarm
for 6:30 am to bake them. All while Milo slept soundly, his pesky list all
safely jotted down in my head.
Kathleen Gunther
Editor, ContestHound.com
