Dear Master Scheduler

Dear the Wonder Person Who Did the Scheduling for the First Day of Kindergarten,

I received the letter in the mail today informing me of a VERY IMPORTANT first day of school meeting I am required to attend on August 27 from 9:00 to 11:00. I noticed that my kindergartner is also required to attend, so I do not have to worry about childcare for her. Thank you, that was very considerate. Unfortunately, that's where forethought and good planning went out the window. Can I humbly request, on the behalf of future Kindergarten parents to come, that next year this VERY IMPORTANT CAN'T BE MISSED MEETING be held on the FIRST DAY OF (actual) SCHOOL? As it is, with our elementary school not holding classes on the first day of school, choosing instead to schedule conferences, I WILL HAVE MY OTHER CHILD AT HOME THAT DAY. Hello? Yes, I did read the very helpful information that this meeting IS SO IMPORTANT!!! that siblings cannot be accomodated, and to please make other arrangements for them. I was wondering if you could fill me in on acceptable other arrangements, as the older students in our district are actually starting school on the (scheduled) first day of school? Additionally, I would have preferred to spend my children's last day of summer vacation HOME WITH THEM, instead of sitting in a boring meeting all morning informing me of the importance of feeding my child a healthy breakfast, establishing a bedtime routine, making sure they get to school on time, knowing they are safe while they are at school, not transferring my first day anxieties to my child, ensuring they arrive at school prepared to learn...have I left anything out? I think not. I'm tempted to skip the whole meeting because frankly, I sit there resentful of being treated like an absolutely incompetent idiot parent, and I have been through this routine several times before, but I will not because my daughter has not been through this before and I am hopeful that while my meeting will be a complete waste of my time, hers will not. Please live up to that hope and give her a great introduction to Kindergarten. Please also think a little bit more when scheduling things in the future. I would have bitched about been happy to attend a meeting on the first day of actual classes when I did not have to worry about any of my children's care arrangements. Another thought? If the meeting ever does get rescheduled to an intelligent time, maybe the PTA could put together childcare for the younger siblings of the kindergartners so it truly is easy for parents (especially parents who might not attend otherwise and could be the ones that need the meeting the most) to attend.

Sincerely,
A parent