September is the month that could make or break me.

September is the month that could make or break me.  This has nothing to do with money, work or marriage..it is about the girls and school.  I can either be the queen of my cul-de-sac or hold my head in disgrace until next June.  Anyone out there feel the same way?  Please, throw me a bone...

My first reason to be on edge are the forms from the PTO.  The last time I talked about the PTO of Newton, some readers were insulted while one reader suggested that I attend a meeting to see where the Wang's dues go.  (We pay dues along with all of the activities that we attend. The dues amount is suggested.  We haven't seen lower than $30 per child.)  The PTO of my daughter's elementary school meet either at 8:45 or at 5:00.  I am either at work or in commuter stage...so is the PTO is catering to a group that I don't belong OR am I not catering to the PTO?  Granted I would like to go for the former since I don't like most people.  The meetings aside, I had a manila PTO envelope filled with forms that I needed to fill out for them.  The forms were activities that I should plan for the next school year.  Would I like to volunteer for activities next year or make a pie for the next event?  Really?  I am lucky if I have enough tampons for the next month.

September is also a time when some activities need to be booked until May.  Really.  Hip Hop (because Ching will see that his oldest girl has my rhythm) and Math (because that is Ching's version of dance/rhythm) need to be registered and paid for now.

Lunches...holy shit.  For Laurel, her lunch has been pretty much the same for the last three years.  Rachel gets pissed with too much repetition.  I am trying to show her a lot of variety, hitting color, the food groups AND the "funky smell test".  The funky smell test is specific to Chinese dumplings (pork and cabbage)...so good while you eat them but holy cripe, they smell funky...so I can't pack that.  Right now, I am hoping on my new friend, Joe...Trader Joe.

Then there is the prep during the month for the weather...mittens, hats, jackets, costumes.  While Halloween is a given (and good costumes need to be ordered NOW!) , the weather in New England is not a given.  While this week is in the mid 80's, next week could be a frost, and if I am not prepared, some twenty something teacher will be telling me that my girl wasn't warm enough.  So..Trader Joe..meet my other good friend, LL Bean.

My mom taught for over 30 years.  September was and is my families' wheelhouse.  My calendar is a school calendar, not the pagan one that starts in January.  September needs to start out right...perfectly.  September seems to be my hot tin roof and I am the cat.  (Can you tell that I just watched Beverly Hill 90210 with Brenda doing her version of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof?  No?  You are too young and you don't have kids...move on...)