School projects are tiring

CFjo2010

About 3 weeks ago, K was assigned a Family Banner project.  She was given a poster board and the assignment was to create a banner the best represents her family.  My husband asked K how she wanted to do the board and they drew out a few ideas.  At drop off that night, my husband and K showed BM their ideas, and asked her to come up with a few ideas with K and plan a day when everyone could get together to work on the project.

Long 3-week story short: for about 2 weeks BM text about 3 different versions of how she wanted the board.  Then came the complaints that my husband's side of the family was too large.  Then the "suggestion" of cutting my side out.  My husband didn't fight about the changing plans, but did put his foot down that it was K's project, and whoever K wanted on the board would be on the board.  So there was a sit down with K, and she told my husband and BM who she wanted on the board and how she wanted the board to look.  It didn't go over well.  On Thursday we received a text from BM saying, "K is incredibly stressed out about the board and doesn't want to work on it" and that we would be getting our own board to do at our house.  This came as a surprise to us because on Tuesday K was excited about the project and asked me to help her cut out flowers and wanted to choose pictures of everyone.

When I picked up K from school that day the teacher handed me the board.  K was crying and I felt terrible.  I apologized for the inconvenience of K having now 2 boards to display and asked K if she wanted to go to Micheal's and pick stuff up for the board.  K asks, "I can do it however I want?" and I told her yes because it's her project.  She hugs me and yells "I love you!!" and then we spent an hour in Micheal's picking out stuff, and way too much money.

But the board is (finally) now done.  We all worked on it this weekend with her (my husband, me and my 2 kiddos), and K got to be "the boss" for 3 days.  It was fun working on the project, but if I have to cut one more flower I think I'll develop carpal tunnel.  K is really happy about the way the board turned out, and I was able to get lots of pictures of the family working with her.  We feel bad that K had to spend the entire weekend working on the project, but she seemed really happy doing it.  We only had one hiccup, which was when K got teary while gluing photos on the flowers and asked, "Why won't Mommy let me put her on the board with all of you?".  There really wasn't a neutral way to answer her, so my husband just told her that she'll have fun working on another board with Mommy.  The moment passed, and hopefully K did have as much fun working on the 2nd board with BM.  I'm turning the project in this morning at K's school, and I'm amazed she was able to get a 3 week project done in just 3 days. 

Holly_1007

wow shame on BM for making your SD feel like that! and for her having to do twice the work! thats SO not fair to SD

 If it makes you feel any better, SD did an x-mas project at school and was asked to bring in pictures of her celebrating xmas with her family.  Guess who didn't get told about the project until AFTER it was finished? DH.  Guess who's entire familie(s) were left OUT of said project? DH's, us as a family, DS, and my entire family. 

Atleast you guys got your family represented and had a great time putting the project together with SD, it actually sounds like alot of fun going through old photos like that!

FutureMrsWittig

I know what you mean about exhausting school projects.  We just finished up an Amelia Earhart poster and had to make a costume to go with it for her presentation.  We built a wearable airplane out of an old diaper box!

CFjo2010

holly71087:

wow shame on BM for making your SD feel like that! and for her having to do twice the work! thats SO not fair to SD

 If it makes you feel any better, SD did an x-mas project at school and was asked to bring in pictures of her celebrating xmas with her family.  Guess who didn't get told about the project until AFTER it was finished? DH.  Guess who's entire familie(s) were left OUT of said project? DH's, us as a family, DS, and my entire family. 

Atleast you guys got your family represented and had a great time putting the project together with SD, it actually sounds like alot of fun going through old photos like that!

We found out about the project because K's teacher emails us the Weekly Newsletter.  The Newsletter goes home on Mondays, and BM refused to provide copies to my husband, or leave it in the folder for when we pick her up on Tuesdays.  I have to say, it's made things a lot easier now that it's emailed directly to us.

When my husband mentioned the project to BM, she was surprised and a bit peeved that he knew about it.  I can't honestly say if BM would or wouldn't have told my husband about the project on her own.  I'm choosing to believe that she would have informed him, because that's what would have been best for K.

 

CFjo2010

FutureMrsWittig:

I know what you mean about exhausting school projects.  We just finished up an Amelia Earhart poster and had to make a costume to go with it for her presentation.  We built a wearable airplane out of an old diaper box!

^^ That sounds awesome!!  Good job 

Holly_1007

jobalchak:

holly71087:

wow shame on BM for making your SD feel like that! and for her having to do twice the work! thats SO not fair to SD

 If it makes you feel any better, SD did an x-mas project at school and was asked to bring in pictures of her celebrating xmas with her family.  Guess who didn't get told about the project until AFTER it was finished? DH.  Guess who's entire familie(s) were left OUT of said project? DH's, us as a family, DS, and my entire family. 

Atleast you guys got your family represented and had a great time putting the project together with SD, it actually sounds like alot of fun going through old photos like that!

We found out about the project because K's teacher emails us the Weekly Newsletter.  The Newsletter goes home on Mondays, and BM refused to provide copies to my husband, or leave it in the folder for when we pick her up on Tuesdays.  I have to say, it's made things a lot easier now that it's emailed directly to us.

When my husband mentioned the project to BM, she was surprised and a bit peeved that he knew about it.  I can't honestly say if BM would or wouldn't have told my husband about the project on her own.  I'm choosing to believe that she would have informed him, because that's what would have been best for K.

 

We get the monthly newsletter from the school e-mailed to us but BM refuses to provide anything that is sent home with SD.  I've told DH to go to the school with a copy of the CO stating we have joint legal custody and demand copys of notices but its not a priority to him.

We had an issue a few years ago where a notice was sent home about one of the kids in SD's class contracting scarlett fever. A week later we went to a play in SD's school where we heard about it from other parents, we had our 1 month old DS with us.  to say I was pissed would be an understatement.

For your SD's sake I would hope BM would have cooperated, but you never know.  judging by the way she reacted to the project makes me question wheather she would have involved you guys.  Maybe told you last minute so you didn't really have time to scramble anything together? Either way, glad you guys had a great weekend putting it together

CFjo2010

wendilea:

the project itself wouldn't have been so bad, but your BM made it 1000 X worse by acting like an infant.

Agreed.  It would have been nice to do a little bit of the project here and there over the span of 3 weeks as opposed to rushing through it in one weekend.  Thankfully K was really pleased with the way it turned out and is excited to show it off at Open House.