Have fun at school, or else!

It occurred to me this morning that I have, for the past few years, sent my kidlets off to school in the morning with completely different types of good-byes. Each kidlet is unique, and I have tailored their usual good-bye kiss with a comment to match who they are.

Horse, as the oldest and most well-behaved kidlet, hears variations on "Have a great day at school! I love you!" She is the one kidlet I can trust to follow the school rules, do her best work, and pay attention in class. The fact that she adores her teacher probably helps keep her focused, and she's not quite old enough to get distracted by crushes. (Just the other day, in fact, Horse informed me a boy in her class told her that he liked her. She said to me, "Mom, doesn't he know we are far too young for such nonsense?!?" I was immensely relieved that she is so level-headed at age nine. Talk to me again in a few years and I shall probably think differently.)

Rooster, my self-appointed school wanderer, hears me find different ways of saying "Have fun and stay with your class! I love you!" Just last school year, she was found by a school employee while she was wandering the halls. She was near the (unlocked on the inside, locked from the outside) front doors at the time. She also has been complaining of hating school because it's not fun, so part of the routine is to ask that she find a way to have fun. I'm thinking she's not quite following my instructions, but there's nothing I can do to fix that one.

And then there's Pig Jr. My youngest kidlet is also the one who is most likely to react physically to any and all perceived threats. Part of that is because he is young and has speech delays. Part of that is because his sisters taught him well at home. (I am not amused with all three of them over that fact.) His sensory issues also come into play when people, intentionally or accidentally, invade his personal space. The problem is that his personal space varies from day to day, so what might be fine one day is excruciatingly too close for comfort for him the next. Regardless of the reason for his behavior on any given day, his morning send-off usually consists of "I love you! Behave yourself! Use your words and not your hands!" Come to think of it, I'm not sure he even knows that "good-bye" is a possible comment to make when walking away from someone else. I sure haven't used that phrase with him, to the best of my knowledge.

I do hope all three of my kidlets have fun at school. I want them to learn a lot, too. But the last message they hear from me as they walk into the building is the demand they have a good day, a threat about them trying to escape, or a thinly-veiled warning about misbehaving. Oh, well. At least I consistently remember to tell them I love them.