The Average Mom

A few months ago I was asked to write an article for Ethan and Malia's school newsletter. I honestly don't remember what they actually wanted but I took the challenge into my own hands and created "The Average Mom". My first article was about childhood obesity (at the Principal's request). My second article was truly from my heart. I enjoyed reminiscing about my childhood. I got many compliments on it and for my posterity's sake, I'd like it to be posted here for them to read...

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS

I recently inquired about the Pershing ware I ordered at the beginning of the school year for my kids. I was told that the PTA had just ordered the clothing and there will be a special design to celebrate Pershing school's 50th year. While thinking about how long 50 years is, I started reminiscing about the good ol' days. You see, I was a student at Pershing Elementary School. My journey there began 29 years ago…

I have many fond memories of my childhood at Pershing school. Some of which I will never forget. I remember rushing out to recess in hopes that I would be the first one to the bars so I didn't have to wait in line. I loved jump roping too and I was good at it. I remember being in choir and having a huge performance at Arco Arena. I remember being the Pershing Generals instead of the Panthers. I remember when the school didn't have portable rooms and the library was where the computer lab is now. I remember listening to books being read to me by Mrs. Williams, the same librarian who is reading to our children today. I remember playing Oregon Trail in the computer lab on an early Macintosh computer that had a floppy disk drive. I remember being lucky if I got a colored screen to play it on. One of my earliest memories is making bug catchers out of tuna cans and screen material when I was in kindergarten. I remember clapping erasers because we had actual chalkboards in the classroom. I remember dissecting a squid and the smell that accompanied this activity. I remember that all the kids would go to Mrs. Houston's class when they had a loose tooth. She would pull it out and we'd get to go and pick something out from a huge drawer of toys. I remember getting sent to the Principal's office for the first time ever when I was in 6th grade. I think it scared me straight. I remember my dad with his tool belt on while helping to build the cover over the picnic benches outside the cafeteria that many of us parents sit under each day when picking our children up from school. I remember Jerry, the custodian, who would create pieces of personalized woodwork for the students and parents for 25 cents a letter. My all time favorite memory of elementary school was when I was in third grade, my class did a play. I remember the hours we spent practicing for it and being excited we didn't have to do math or reading. I remember forgetting my lines in one performance and making something up in its place. I still sing the songs I learned from that play today. That same year, my teacher, Miss Heise, got married. Our entire class was invited to her wedding where she took on the last name of her husband and became Mrs. Bhatti.

I didn't plan for my children to attend Pershing. Who would have thought that I would purchase a home 3 houses up from the one I grew up in? Imagine my surprise when I enrolled my oldest in kindergarten and found out that there were a few teachers still teaching at Pershing that I remembered as a child. Through the years I've run into past classmates whose children were being taught by teachers who taught them. I was excited to hear that even a past teacher (Mrs. Houston) has grandchildren attending Pershing! I'm pretty sure that there are many more students that I am not aware of whose blood rings with Pershing Pride as well.

Pershing Elementary School has been making childhood memories for 50 years now. That's a lot of memory making! Many things have changed over the years, like my perception of the stage in the cafeteria. It's a lot smaller than I remember, but the goal to educate and help teach children to become amazing members of society has not. I often wonder what my kids will remember about their childhood when they are grown adults and then I am reminded that they are making their memories NOW. I know that it is a hard job raising children. Trust me, I have four, and I'll be the first to admit how easy it is to get wrapped up with the necessities of each day and being worn out by day's end making sure that everything that's required has been taken care of. But again, our children are making their childhood memories now. What are we doing to make those memories positive and fun? I challenge you to think of some ways to help your children make some awesome memories now and then do them. They don't have to be large and expensive. I have found that many memories I have as a child required no money, only time. Time is something that never ends and before we know it, our Panthers will be grown adults raising children of their own. What memories will you make with your children today?