Sign of the Times

All three of my sons have attended the same wonderful preschool.

Each year, the school provides canvas bags to bring notices and artwork back and forth from school.

Why, yes.  I did draw that football.  I am an artistic genius.

As you can tell, there has been some downsizing to the tote expenditure since Jack attended 3 years ago.  All of Joey's school notices are printed on half sheets of paper.  Full sheets simply won't fit. Envelopes aren't used anymore for fear they might over-burden the fragile new bags.

Obviously the economy is suffering.  There have been cuts to education.  For the record, I would have been happy to buy my son a book bag, but the school prefers the ease of these open totes to quickly disseminate information. 

Joey's Ziploc-sized school bag has been lost countless times this year.  It gets mixed in with other small items from our house like paper clips and Dixie Cups.  I've sent Joey to school with Jack's old bag more often than not because I can't find Joey's in time for the bus. 

Because of this, several moms at the school have now taken to calling Joey by his brother's name.  My youngest is having an identity crisis.  He asks me weekly if his name is really "Jack."  He wonders aloud where his "lost Joey" has gone.

I smile, pat him on the had, and call him "Dan."

Yup.  Those therapy bills are going to be huge.