Close to Nowhere

Back to school is the main topic on the news and everywhere else. I’m really grateful that mine are all grown and out of school. Except really they’re not.

Oldest granddaughter Merideth’s husband Tim graduated from five years at electrician’s school in June. He didn’t get to have a party or even a graduation ceremony. That was a shame for all those years of making excellent grades and working hard. But that happened to a whole lot of students last year.

As soon as Tim got out of school, Merideth went back. She’s going to Paul Mitchell The School at Memphis. Obviously in Memphis, Tenn.

So now, the problem was what to do with her babies. Ruby June (Sissie) just turned 2 years old and Shepard will be 4 in December. Sissie visits with different family members during the week (I can’t babysit anymore because of health reasons) and Shepard first went to a daycare/preschool.

He hated it. He cried and wailed and moaned and never got any better. Mere and Tim were at their wit’s end.

Someone told her about another preschool and they went and visited and she loved it. More importantly, Shepard loves it. They learn to do things. He even had homework one night ­ tracing a dotted line with a pencil. They have class projects and even show and tell. For his turn, he brought a picture of his bright yellow corn snake Slither and told the class all about him, what he eats, etc.

It’s amazing the difference structure and actual learning make in a classroom environment.

He loves school and can’t wait to get there. He bounces out of the car and dashes in with barely a “Bye Mom.”

So Mom can go to school happy as well. She also loves her school and classes.

She had a funny video the other day. A little bird got in their classroom and all the other students were scared and running around trying to shoo it out. Of course, the little bird was terrified.

Mere finally managed to get him crowded in a corner and catch him so she could put him out the window.

She was laughing at all the “city folks” and said they needed a chicken lady like her to save them.

Teachers and staff at schools, whether virtual or in a classroom, need all the support we can give them. Education is something that is vitally important, not only to the students, but to our nation as a whole.

If you know a teacher, do something nice for them, even if it’s just a treat of some kind. They certainly deserve it!