Working for the Nursery

As I've said before, the boys go to a pre-school which is a co-operative. It's part of the California Council of Parent Participation Nursery Schools. They look after the boys, and we have to participate. But sometimes it feels like it would be easier if we just looked after the boys.

We have to work there, 1.25 days per week, between us. Then there are events that need more people, we need do stuff like paint, and recently they've decided that we need to do fundraising. The nursery needs a loft - which will cost $1500 dollars. (It turns out that what they call a loft is more of a glorified cupboard) so they have to raise money. So we parents have to seek out donations. Now why anyone at all should donate money so that a bunch of SUV driving middle class parents (not us driving SUVs, as you know) can have a slightly nicer pre-school. After all, those women who, with their children, have become homeless as a result of having alcoholic violent partners have got perfectly nice places to put their children.

Part 1

So S has to spend afternoons co-ordinating with others to find out which local businesses have yet to be harassed, travelling there, and then harassing them. So the other day S and the boys set off for a local restaurant. They ate lunch there (because you can't harass a restaurant for a donation with eating there first), and then harassed.

On the way out some Japanese teenaged girls saw A and D, and started to squeak. I don't know why, but A and D particularly have this effect with Japanese teenage girls. The boys sighed, and had their hands held, were cuddled, and generally poked (the boys draw the line at being picked up - and as Japanese girls are usually slight, they don't try much any more) while the other Japanese girls took photos.

They got to the car, which was handily parked behind some bushes, and D then honked up all of his macaroni cheese and orange juice.

And if we're lucky, we'll get a $25 donation. It would be much easier to just given them the money (there must be 40 children at the school).

Part II

There are two 'sessions' at the school. Monday/Wednesday/Friday, and Tuesday/Thursday. When there are special occasions at the school, they happen once for each session, and so our boys have to participate twice. And there are, of course, two of them. So that makes 4 participation events. This week was Persian New Year which unusually didn't seem to involve us doing anything (but you can see how many things there might be).

Soon it's "Spring Celebration", which is Easter by another name. (Although it sounds very pagan calling it Spring Celebration). So the children need to bring eggs, to paint and decorate the place with. (Two children are allergic to eggs, and will not come into school for the week). They need to bring 6 hard boiled eggs, 4 blown eggs, and 6 plastic eggs with 'treasure' (not candy or food, 'cos that's not allowed) in them.

So we need 6 boiled eggs, and 4 blown eggs. Times 2, 'cos we have two boys. Times 2, 'cos we go to 2 sessions. So we need 24 boiled eggs, and 16 blown eggs. Or a total of 40 eggs. (Plus 24 plastic eggs with treasure in.)