School is back in session, and the three Burwell Babes are walking the halls of Taylor Road Middle School. Babe #1: Cate Burwell! She is a seventh grader, making her parents proud with all accelerated classes. She is currently earning her future scholarship to Berry College, if her mother has her way. Babe #2: Rihanna Burwell! She is a sixth grader, sauntering down the hallway with beauty, confidence, and a red-hair-weave. (Oh my gosh, how cool is her mom?!) Babe #3: Mrs. Burwell! Isn’t she doing a fine job of dressing like a really hip woman in her 30’s?! (Okay, 40’s. Whatever. You don’t look as young as you used to, either!)
This is my second year “back” in middle school, that place I swore I would never go again. I bet you too have made this declaration: “It doesn’t matter how much you pay me, you could never make me go back there!” Apparently I was wrong...you could pay me enough to go back there! But going back as a teacher is a whole different experience from being there as a struggling preteen. And going back to love on struggling preteens is one of the funnest things I’ve ever done. (Yes, Language Arts teacher friends, I know FUNNEST ain’t a word!)
So, this year I am “Mean Mommy”, dragging my middle school-aged children with me to Taylor Road, rather than letting them attend the school for which we are zoned. Why, you may ask, would I inflict on them the horror of being at the same school as their mom, the Social Studies teacher? Because THEY are the most important middle schoolers in the world! I get to ride to school and pray for them on the way...pass them in the halls throughout the day...drive them home while listening to a play-by-play of their past eight hours. I adore their teachers, many of whom are already my friends. I respect-like-crazy the leadership at the school. So, hey, call me Mean Mommy all you want to, girls, but I am in love with having this time with you! How many times did my older mommy mentor friends say the days are slow but the years are fast?! I don’t have very many years left with you beautiful girls, so I am doing my best to soak up all the time that I can get with you. You truly are the most important middle schoolers in the world to me.
In fact, what if we all go to college together in the fall of 2025?!! Teasing. I’m teasing.