Kindergarten madness

I am a reasonable person. (I am! Stop laughing!) And I have tried to follow all the rules and not "rock the boat." But my patience is wearing thin with this kindergarten business. But I think I may just reach my breaking point soon. And whether it is hormonally induced or not, I simply do not care.

Let's recap...
~There is no time to take off your recess clothes before lunch...you must wear them while eating.
~A note must be on file in order to pick your child up from school...but you have to keep sending an additional one every morning until the school finally catches on.
~You must actually set foot IN the gym in order for your child to be released to you (Unless you're a man, then you can do whatever you like...And please don't expect the teacher to know where your child is if you are a few minutes late).
~An "art shirt" is required, though nobody tells you this until AFTER your child attends his first art class without one.

And then there are the additions from this past week...

A form is sent home asking parents to sign up to volunteer for different jobs at the three planned parties during the year (Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine's). I signed the form and indicated that I would be available for whatever job at whatever party...no preference. The Halloween party was scheduled for Friday the 26th and I still hadn't heard anything. So on Tuesday the 23rd, I inquired and was told that the teacher assigns all the volunteers to one group out of the three and if I hadn't heard anything about this one, I would be involved in one of the other ones. Because they, "really don't need 26 parents at one event."

I get the logic. What I don't get is the total lack of respect for the parent volunteers. Is it so much to ask, since she has obviously already done the assignment part of things, to just let us know which group we'll be in? so maybe we can plan ahead?

But then, planning ahead is apparently not her strong suit, as illustrated by today's note sent home with my child. Please send in a 1 lb. coffee can or round oatmeal container and please send in this container on November 1, 2007.

Do you see that date?!?! That is THURSDAY! TWO DAYS FROM TODAY! I do not HAVE a 1lb coffee can or round oatmeal container! ARRRGGGHHH!!!!!!!! (Luckily, my parents live pretty close to daycare and my father is going to rescue me on this one and offer up one of the coffee cans he's been storing stuff in on his workbench...thanks Dad...you're my hero!)

And yes, the wait-in-the-gym power-play is still in full force...on the days the teacher is there anyway. Apparently some days she leaves early and leaves her children in the care of another teacher or an aide. I have NO problems picking up my kid on those days. He sees me, the monitor smiles at us, and we leave. On those days, whether he meets me at the door of the gym or not is a non-issue. But on the days the teacher remains...my entire parental body must be IN the gym or she will point downward and tell MY child to sit back down in his place and wait until my ever-growing-hugeness enters the gym (imagine a sit command directed at a dog...yeah...like that). And then she will look at me with that look...self satisfaction and smugness. (Never fear, my response is equally adult...I ignore her completely).

I can't wait for Parent-Teacher conferences on November 13th. We're going to have such a nice chat!