Friday's Letters

Dear Parents of Kids in My Class.... Thank you SO much for coming to conferences!  It was a great experience for me.  Except, now of course, I have to follow through on my word and give the kids a pizza party because we received 100% participation.  It felt really good to know that it meant a lot to the kids to have their parents come, and I was happily surprised at the great feedback I got from you all.  My ego grew about 8 sizes after hearing the wonderful compliments you gave me in regards to the reading and study habits you are seeing in your children.

Dear House... It's about dang time you started cleaning yourself.  I'm so tired of cleaning you and you just being dirty five minutes later.  I just have no motivation to deep clean, and when I do I feel like I'm wasting my time.  Then I get all grumpy when I walk in and you're a mess - and I end up hiding out in my office or my bedroom just so I don't have to look at you.  Get it together!

Dear Children That Live in This House... No matter how much I beg and plead, this house won't clean it's self.  And, it appears that you are the ones that make all the mess, yet throw hissy fits when I ask you to clean it.  Your father and I work long hours to make sure you have food in your tummies, water to take showers and wash your clothes, clothes to wear, and electricity to run all of your toys.  The least you can do is spend less than 30 minutes each day picking up after yourselves and washing a dish now and then.  Don't you dare whine and complain when I ground you and take away your computer time.  You don't want to help out around here, then we don't want to pay for you to enjoy your luxuries.  When you get a job and pay for those things yourself, then come back and talk to me.

Dear Dentist... Thank you so much for not ever making us wait when we come to see you.  It's so irritating to go to an appointment and then sit in a waiting room forever.  You are the only place I know where I can arrive ten minutes early and get called straight back.  Plus, my kids love coming to see you... which is just unheard of.  You are one of those people I just want to thank for making my life that much easier.

Dear Scholastic Book Clubs... Thank you so much for continuing to give me free money so that I can buy books for my classroom.  I don't know anywhere else that I can buy 32 books for $20.  And, yes, I understand that I said you give me "free" money, but I am totally fine with having to spend $20 to get a free $10.  Not only that, but I can buy my favorite chapter books for my entire class for $1 a book!  Once my order arrives, I will have 2 class sets of chapter books.  Oh, and now I have over 400 bonus points to spend.  You are like having Christmas in October.  As long as I am a teacher, I will be a customer of Scholastic.

Dear Jelly... I am so proud that you are already able to tie your own shoes.  I know you've been working on it for a couple of weeks now - and you finally are able to do it all by yourself.  Your brother and sister weren't able to tie their own shoes until they were about 6, and look at you doing it when you're only 4!  You continue to amaze me with how smart you are. 

Dear Wal-Mart... Hubby will cringe at this statement, but THANK YOU for providing me a way that I can give my kids a great Christmas and not have to pay for it until tax time.  I've saving my pennies like a good girl in the hopes of having some money put away for Christmas - and then you come along and give me a credit card that won't charge me any interest for 6 months.. so that I can buy now and pay it off in monthly installments without it costing me a ton of extra in interest.  I am not a fan of credit cards, and have kept the one credit card I own zeroed out each month.  I feel that I am responsible enough now to take on this extra credit without going crazy.  It just amazes me that for 5 years my credit has been too bad to get a credit card from you, and now that I have student loans and car payments coming out of my ears - I am now fit to apparently have credit with you.  Whatever.  I'm not going to complain about that now.  Just thanks for finally coming through for me.

Dear Me... I know it goes against everything you believe in to get another credit card.  That's a good quality to have, and one that you will continue to keep in your heart.  Don't think of this new credit card as "free money".  You know your limits, and you know what you can and can't afford to pay off in the next 6 months.  There's nothing wrong with financing a few things that you want to buy the kids for Christmas.  Keep saving money the way you have been, and if you have the money to pay off the card earlier - then you will.  At least now you know that you have some wiggle room with the saved money if you really need it.  You have worked hard to fix your credit and become more responsible with your budgeting.  Don't feel guilty about splurging just a little to give the kids a great Christmas.  They deserve it, too.  You have worked your tail off the past four years and you've waited even longer to have some financial stability.  Owning a credit card isn't going to destroy that for you - because you won't let it.  I know you, and know how you think.  Now, get to work so you can enjoy your weekend off!