I knew it would be a tight schedule getting my daughter to school today. We had to drop her dad off at the airport and make it back before 12:35 PM. I managed to get her to school by 12:32, and I felt pretty proud of myself.
Afterward, I spent the next couple of hours tidying up the house while enjoying the rare moment of peace, broken only by Baby’s gentle coos. Then, at 2:35, my phone rang. I didn’t recognize the caller ID, so I let it ring, relishing the chance to hear my ringtone, “Anastasia” by A Silent Film. I danced around with Baby and continued my chores.
Just ten minutes later, the same number called again. Suddenly, I had a flash of concern that it could be the school wanting me to pick up my daughter because she was feeling unwell. She had been under the weather the day before but seemed better now.
“Hello?”
“Hi, is this Jenna?”
“Yes.”
“This is Lucy from the Elementary School. We have your daughter here, and she’s waiting to be picked up. Today is a common day, so school let out at 2:15.”
My heart sank. “Oh no! I’m on my way!”
I quickly grabbed Baby, secured her in the car seat, and sped off, cursing the traffic that stood in my way. I pictured my daughter sitting alone in the office, her little head drooping in disappointment, swinging her legs back and forth.
Upon arriving at the school, I scooped Baby onto my hip and hurried into the office, only to find my daughter happily helping the staff clean up, looking like she was having the time of her life.
After pausing in confusion—wondering why she wasn’t as upset as I imagined—I rushed over and hugged her tightly. “I’m so sorry! I had no idea! Are you alright?”
“Yep!” she chirped, finishing up a chair and proudly pointing at her drawings for the office staff.
“She’s quite the artist,” Lucy chimed in, reassuring me. “Don’t worry; you’re not the only parent who forgot today was a common day.”
“Common day? What’s that? I’m still getting used to this whole school thing.”
“It’s an early dismissal day for parent-teacher conferences. The next one won’t be until February.”
Mental note: remember to pick up my daughter early during February’s conferences.
“Oh. Did we get an email about it?”
“Sure did, the principal sent an email out the other day.”
Right, the one email I skipped. Why? Because the subject line was “Parent-Teacher Conferences,” and I had already been informed that kindergarteners wouldn’t have them.
Great.
As I looked closer, I noticed a bright yellow note pinned to my daughter’s shirt. Yes, I remembered today was October 8th. The time for pick-up was circled—like they thought I needed reminding that my child is in the PM class.
Wait… school started an hour earlier today? My morning achievement of getting her to school on time was actually a total failure. #momfail
And really, pinning the note to her shirt? Apparently, knowing when to pick up my child and receiving a phone call—one I first ignored—wasn’t embarrassing enough.
But now I understand why they did it. If notes were put in her backpack, there’s no chance she would remember to give them to me. That’s why they send emails instead. At least the circling wasn’t in red ink.
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Summary
In this lighthearted tale, Jenna recounts the chaotic day she forgot to pick up her kindergartner from school. Balancing a busy schedule with unexpected surprises, she learns about common school days and the importance of staying informed. Despite the mix-up, her daughter remains cheerful, reminding Jenna that parenting is full of learning experiences.