and I’m talking about mine…not the kids’!

DD has just had her assembly.  For that big day, parents were expected to practise their lines with them.  Done.   Not easy, but done.  The end result was fabulous.

Next week DS1 has his assembly….fine.  I can deal with reciting the lines, practising intonation, choosing a topic appropriate t-shirt…..

BUT DS1’s assembly day coincides with Eco-day at the school.  As a former practising environmental lawyer, I fully support anything that teaches our kids about being conscious of the fragility of the environment in which we live.  However, when I am given a week’s notice to design and make 2 eco-friendly outfits to be runway ready for a parents’ show, I get a tad cranky.  How am I going to cobble together a bunch of crap from a bunch of crap?????

When I think about how non-creative I am…I get even more cranky.  Why do schools do this to parents????  It does not matter how much time I might spend on this, I can hardly come up with an idea let alone a passable sartorial creation.  I express my concerns to DH.  He shrugs his shoulders, raises his eyes and everything else towards the skies…….and mumbles something about focusing on the basics of the 3 Rs.  Agreeing with DH, I slumped off…..knowing that principles would not win out on this one….I was going to have to design something.

How can I let DD and DS1 go to school with nothing????  They would be singled out by the teachers and other kids for not participating.  In fact, they would single themselves out and come home wondering why I had not helped them to create a meringue dress/tux out of plastic bags from the local supermarket.

Tonight, DD dumped the contents of the recycling bag on the floor.  Looking at our booty we ‘hmmmed and hawwwed’.  Hmmm, what could we make?

We made a start with an Hawaiian type skirt from wholemeal spaghetti boxes.  We plan on a  matching hula type hat.  DS1 got into it and decided he wanted a helmet.  The best I could do was a baseball type hat with the peak covered in foil……

We’re getting there….and the kids are enjoying it…so from now on I will embrace my homework with vigour!