It’s always nice when the secondary kids come home from school. They are great kids, full of energy (most of the time, actually usually only when they aren’t asked to do work/chores around the home!), they fill the home with even more laughter and their brothers and sisters love it when they are home!
Back from left – Moses, Erastus, Chris, Edward, Jacinta, Nancy.
Front from left – Kelvin, Kevin, Jane, Doris
When they come home however is when they also bring home their lists of needs for the next term. I make them prepare their lists as soon as they come home so I have time to organize to get the items and it gives me time to nit-pik their lists!
We’ve had to take a tough stand lately. Theft is rampant at most secondary schools (at least the ones we have students at) and we were spending a pretty penny on replacing items (school uniforms, sweaters and even bras and underwear!). This term we are placing a responsibility on the kids to be more diligent with their items. We’ve told the kids if we get any requests to replace stolen items we will contact the school and have all their personal belongings “branded” (this could look something like “prison numbers” on their clothes so no one else can use the item). Other schools which brand the students items have a significant reduction in theft and I totally agree with it. The kids didn’t look too happy, after all they’d be walking around with large numbers on their clothes, but hey if it cuts down on theft I’m all for it.
A couple of the boys will be taking padlocks to school in order to lock up their drying clothes on the clothes line! It sounds ridiculous to me but again if it cuts down on theft I’m all for it. Please don’t ask me what the schools are doing about it…basically nothing other than the ones which brand the clothes (at the parents expense of course). This is just another reason on my long list of why I don’t agree with boarding schools, but this post isn’t about that.
While I’m on the subject of putting my foot down, I’ve also asked the kids “why am I buying bras and underwear every 6 months or so?” One reason is the method of washing clothes, they are extremely rough with washing. Scrubbing until the threads are bare, and I’m not exaggerating too much here either because Chuck has had holes worn through his jeans simply from the hand washing! I told them to be more gentle with washing or they’ll go braless and underwearless…ok I may not go that far but hey I can threaten can’t I?!
Sometimes, when I’m dealing with 10 teenagers going to secondary I feel like these goats balancing on top of a moving bus, it may be difficult but eventually, by God’s grace, I’ll make it to the final destination!
