crazy, party of one

I just left the boys' school and it's possible I caused a bit of a scene. Not a giant, sobbing, your-kids-arent-welcome-here scene, but I think I may have said "use common sense" to people which never goes well.

It's a million degrees outside, well 112 to be exact since I'm trying to take the crazy down a notch. i have this weather app on my phone and it tells me anytime there is a severe weather warning. I've been trying to disable that notification all day because it's constantly telling me that it's effing hot outside and that there are Excessive heat Watch/Warnings until 8 at night. AT NIGHT! I still need to figure out how to turn off the stupid notifications but for today, I'm glad they bothered me all day.

I got to the boys school at 4:30 and there were kids playing outside. not even my kids, but still. i went inside and immediatly asked anyone who would listen "how hot does it have to be for you to not send kids outside?!?"  One of the teachers said, we don't send the ones or twos out anymore. I said something about well the older kids are out there right now and it's 112 degrees, which is clearly way too hot for them to be outside.  She said "we let the school agers choose if they want to go out or not. we don't force them to do, so it's up to them. we let them decide" or something similar. i said "well, connor would like to drink soda and play video games all day but I dont let him make that decision because it's not healthy for him". then they said something about not being sure what the state regulation says and i said that regardless of what the state said it may be an opportunity to use some common sense. surely they hate me.  to their credit though, the kids playing outside were pulled back inside within moments. Clearly word of the crazy, sweaty mom spread through the place. The worst part - I feel like we had this exact conversation last summer when they had kids playing outside way past the point of danger.

i can only imagine what people say after I walk away after one of these encounters, but come on.  i am constantly feeling torn between being a go with the flow parent and speaking up when i don't feel like the kids' best interests are being considered. Parenting = Constantly looking like an asshole. And...happy monday.