Dear Administrators of Jake's School:
I wanted to thank you for the Monterey Plainsman Award you bestowed upon my son. I concur that there could be no finer honoree than MY son. (Please note, he belongs to his father when you are trying to determine who to contact when the little rascal has led a mutiny in his classroom.)
I do, however, wish to alert you to a couple issues associated more with the communication and organization (or perhaps lack of) associated with the notice you have given us to celebrate said offspring.
I was quite excited to receive the note in his backpack last Monday. I was a little concerned that the note indicated that the award ceremony would be on Friday. I am certain I am not the only parent who's busy workdays are filled with pre-scheduled meetings. I was quite distraught that I was scheduled to be out of town that morning at a conference. I immediately contacted the airline and discovered that I could change my flight and make my trip a one-day down-and-back. I would arrive back very late and would be very tired, but the child is worth it. Sadly, the hotel had a one-night non-refundable policy, so I couldn't cancel that, and the bill would not be reimbursed by my employer, and while it was a substantially more expensive hotel than what I would ordinarily choose to stay at, I decided I had spent more on less and the fact I would see my son receive his first (and we're hoping the first of MANY) big award, made me feel as though I could suck up that cost.
Then came your note on WEDNESDAY.
Wednesday? Really? You decided on WEDNESDAY prior to the event on FRIDAY that you would change the date to MONDAY?????? I have jumped through how many hoops to be at this lovely event, and you give me that kind of notice. My first thought and instinct was to call you and explain to you that as comments are constantly being made about parental support being needed in the school, it would be nice if the school showed a modicum of consideration for the parent who must work in order to pay for the pies, cookie dough, coupon cards, and other crud you force us to harrass our family and friends into buying so that our kids can bring home a 50-cent reward toy. I then contemplated asking you to whom I should send the very expensive hotel bill to. You were about to learn just how much of a "THAT MOM" I could be.
El Hubbo, who had listened quietly to my raging diatribe on the less complimentary attributes of the event planning masterminds at the school, spoke up and said, can you change your flight back? Now, whether this suggestion was driven by the need to save the money on the hotel room, or driven by a desire to not have to listen to me anymore, I cannot say with full confidence either way.
Fortunately, my flight was able to be changed back (for a small fee that will come out of my pocket, thank you, again.) And, the hotel did let me stay, since they had already charged me, but I'm pretty sure there my account with them has been flagged with a note about being cranky as I was not too pleased they would not refund me initially, but now am grateful they let me stay.
The other drawback to your communication faux pas, is the fact that I now travel on Friday the 13th. Full flights from our state's capitol, thank you very much. I did my best to fluff myself out and make it look like any other seat on any other row would be preferable to sharing my row. It's always a gamble as to whether the middle seat will remain vacant and afford one a little extra room, however the odds substantially improve if a big husky guy takes the aisle seat. Sadly, a skinny girl landed in that seat on the first leg. I just couldn't make myself look big enough for the both of us, and a reather large man took that seat. He snored, by the way.
The airport concourse was freezing, but I was prepared to endure it for my short layover. That is, until the kind customer service agent announced our flight would have a three and a half hour delay. (Did I mention that I would not have had to worry about that, had you only kept your original date for the award ceremony?) How is one to entertain oneself during a 3.5 layover? One way is to shop for a sweatshirt. It's 85 degrees outside, but I had to buy a sweatshirt. I'll add that to your bill, Lubbock ISD.
Finally our plane arrived and I boarded for home. I almost cheered when a big guy took the aisle seat. My celebration was short lived when an even bigger guy took the middle seat. I found myself squished up against the window of the plane. Great. And then he took out his tobacco spit bottle. (Smoking may be banned, but not spit tobacco.) Double great.
Finally I arrived home, and had the whole weekend to prepare for the award ceremony. I guess, when it is all said and done, the smile of this child made even the headaches you put me through, and the increased out-of-pocket cost, worth it. Just don't do it to me again. Consider this your warning.
Appreciatively,
West Texas Mama (And the mother of the Monterey Plainsman Award recipient)
I wanted to thank you for the Monterey Plainsman Award you bestowed upon my son. I concur that there could be no finer honoree than MY son. (Please note, he belongs to his father when you are trying to determine who to contact when the little rascal has led a mutiny in his classroom.)
I do, however, wish to alert you to a couple issues associated more with the communication and organization (or perhaps lack of) associated with the notice you have given us to celebrate said offspring.
I was quite excited to receive the note in his backpack last Monday. I was a little concerned that the note indicated that the award ceremony would be on Friday. I am certain I am not the only parent who's busy workdays are filled with pre-scheduled meetings. I was quite distraught that I was scheduled to be out of town that morning at a conference. I immediately contacted the airline and discovered that I could change my flight and make my trip a one-day down-and-back. I would arrive back very late and would be very tired, but the child is worth it. Sadly, the hotel had a one-night non-refundable policy, so I couldn't cancel that, and the bill would not be reimbursed by my employer, and while it was a substantially more expensive hotel than what I would ordinarily choose to stay at, I decided I had spent more on less and the fact I would see my son receive his first (and we're hoping the first of MANY) big award, made me feel as though I could suck up that cost.
Then came your note on WEDNESDAY.
Wednesday? Really? You decided on WEDNESDAY prior to the event on FRIDAY that you would change the date to MONDAY?????? I have jumped through how many hoops to be at this lovely event, and you give me that kind of notice. My first thought and instinct was to call you and explain to you that as comments are constantly being made about parental support being needed in the school, it would be nice if the school showed a modicum of consideration for the parent who must work in order to pay for the pies, cookie dough, coupon cards, and other crud you force us to harrass our family and friends into buying so that our kids can bring home a 50-cent reward toy. I then contemplated asking you to whom I should send the very expensive hotel bill to. You were about to learn just how much of a "THAT MOM" I could be.
El Hubbo, who had listened quietly to my raging diatribe on the less complimentary attributes of the event planning masterminds at the school, spoke up and said, can you change your flight back? Now, whether this suggestion was driven by the need to save the money on the hotel room, or driven by a desire to not have to listen to me anymore, I cannot say with full confidence either way.
Fortunately, my flight was able to be changed back (for a small fee that will come out of my pocket, thank you, again.) And, the hotel did let me stay, since they had already charged me, but I'm pretty sure there my account with them has been flagged with a note about being cranky as I was not too pleased they would not refund me initially, but now am grateful they let me stay.
The other drawback to your communication faux pas, is the fact that I now travel on Friday the 13th. Full flights from our state's capitol, thank you very much. I did my best to fluff myself out and make it look like any other seat on any other row would be preferable to sharing my row. It's always a gamble as to whether the middle seat will remain vacant and afford one a little extra room, however the odds substantially improve if a big husky guy takes the aisle seat. Sadly, a skinny girl landed in that seat on the first leg. I just couldn't make myself look big enough for the both of us, and a reather large man took that seat. He snored, by the way.
The airport concourse was freezing, but I was prepared to endure it for my short layover. That is, until the kind customer service agent announced our flight would have a three and a half hour delay. (Did I mention that I would not have had to worry about that, had you only kept your original date for the award ceremony?) How is one to entertain oneself during a 3.5 layover? One way is to shop for a sweatshirt. It's 85 degrees outside, but I had to buy a sweatshirt. I'll add that to your bill, Lubbock ISD.
Finally our plane arrived and I boarded for home. I almost cheered when a big guy took the aisle seat. My celebration was short lived when an even bigger guy took the middle seat. I found myself squished up against the window of the plane. Great. And then he took out his tobacco spit bottle. (Smoking may be banned, but not spit tobacco.) Double great.
Finally I arrived home, and had the whole weekend to prepare for the award ceremony. I guess, when it is all said and done, the smile of this child made even the headaches you put me through, and the increased out-of-pocket cost, worth it. Just don't do it to me again. Consider this your warning.
Appreciatively,
West Texas Mama (And the mother of the Monterey Plainsman Award recipient)
LOVE IT!!! Greg and I have both been caught in that trap of rearranging schedules to attend some event...and then get the last minute notice of change of date. UGH!!
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