Mother of the Year (or Why My Son Will Never Be A Product of His Environment)

This is what happened today during bathtime. Usually I begin to fill up the tub and undress him while the water is running. Then I pick him up and put him in the bath. Not today. Today my son decided that he didn't need me to help him. Instead, he crawled into the bath on his own. I will admit, I was not in the room when that happened. Don't go calling the authorities, I do this ALL THE TIME (wow, that looks bad when you actually put it in writing). I don't know how he actually got in the bath, but I do know this: a) he was fully dressed, and b) his hair was not wet at all. So. It was a safe and effective way for him to get in the bathtub. Our bath routine will change beginning tomorrow. Mommy doesn't get to change out of her work clothes while the water is running.

Now. For the part about my son never being a product of his environment. I teach a loooooow group of kids this year. Freshman who have yet to pass their 8th grade SOL tests. We are to help them pass their 8th grade tests while simultaneously (magically, even) teaching them the material to help them pass their 9th grade tests, too. Anyway. To make a long story short, I have a population of kids this year that truly are products of their environment. When I make the calls about discipline or see the parents picking up their kids I think to myself, honestly, that some of these kids didn't stand a chance. Just look at their parents. They probably left their kids unattended during bathtime or something horrible like that...

My son will never have a teacher call him a product of his environment (even if his parents are kind of idiots).