I Raise My Mug

Every Tuesday and Thursday Izzy attends a science and Spanish enrichment program for home-schooled students.  Today when I picked her up she ran to the car with a big smile.  This is not unusual in the least.  She loves her classes.  What she was excited about today was a half-sheet of white paper addressed to the parents.

Mom, don’t start the car yet.  I need you to do something first.  Here, sign this.

Izzy, slow down.  Would you PLEASE ask NICELY?

I’m just in a hurry to give this to my teacher before she leaves.

I read the note, and at the same time managed a look that said, I’m the mom and you’re being a little bossy and pushy.

It was from her Spanish teacher.  A permission slip.

Mom, here’s a pen. 

If I didn’t know better I would say that you don’t want me to read through this, but just sign it.

Well yeah.

The permission slip consisted of an ingredient label for Nestle Hot Chocolate.  I needed to sign this form stating that I’ve read the label and there is nothing in it that would aggravate an allergy of my child.

Impressive.

Yes, I’m that mom.  And Izzy is that student.  The one with food allergies.  The reason that only store-bought, nut-free, egg-free, you fill-in-the-blank, goodies are allowed in classrooms today.

I know it’s a pain if you don’t have a child who falls into this category—and I use that term, category, loosely.  That would require a whole other post about labels kids carry around, and a certain “allergy table” in the school cafeteria.  I’m not much for those types of labels.

But I’m 100 percent behind teachers who are careful about food allergies.  And I’m thankful for those teachers who aren’t afraid to make food apart of teaching, despite the allergy kiddos in their classroom.  I’m mostly grateful for permission slips like the one I signed.

So, I raise my mug to Señora Palmer and her Spanish students.  “Thank you for making Spanish fun, and being careful at the same time.  Please enjoy your hot chocolate on Thursday.  I mean your chocolate caliente–I think?”  (And that’s why I farm out the Spanish lessons.)