Thanks to “Drug Awareness Week” at our school, we’ve had ALL kinds of conversations with our elementary aged kids over the past 7 days driving me to re-evaluate my stance on the age at which our kids should participate in these educational events.
Conversation 1
Hanna: Mom, what are drugs?
Spencer: They are medicines you take too much of.
Mom: errr – not really . . .
Spencer: No, it’s true, they told us today at drug week.
Mom: Greeeat.
EK: Look, I got a ribbon!
Mom: What does it mean?
EK: I dunno.
Conversation 2 (next day)
Hanna: Mom, what are drugs?
Mom: (checking to be sure other children are wearing DVD headsets . . . then insert age-appropriate speech about substance abuse and the various pitfalls ranging from addiction to expense to brain damage – figured she was asking, now was the time to be telling!)
Hanna: Oh.
Conversation 3 (2 days later)
Spencer: Mom, drugs are bad.
Mom: Yes.
Spencer: You didn’t send me a dollar to buy a red drug bracelet.
*sigh* Is it over yet?
Conversation 4 (1 week after the blessed event began)
Spencer: Mom, yogurt is a drug
Mom: No, it isn’t
Spencer: Hmm. Well, bread is a drug.
Mom: No, it isn’t
Spencer: Well (insert name of little K5 friend) says it is.
*rolling eyes*
Mom: Well, it isn’t.
Spencer: Oh. Well maybe just HIS bread is a drug.
I just don’t think I have the energy to fight it anymore. Maybe I’ll write a note suggesting they skip the K5 classes next year.
