I'm Not Writing About a Pencil

A while ago, I think I was visiting the HSB Front Porch.  Someone wrote about what to do when we just can't think of anything to write about on our blogs.  One of the suggestions was to "write about a pencil."  I kind of chuckled at that.  I did not want to write a blog entry about a pencil.

But today we started back to school after a five day break.  We school for 6 weeks (or 30 days) and then take a five day break.  It was a nice break, but it felt good to be back on track until I was reminded of our biggest school stressor ever.  Pencils.  I cannot tell you how I have come to resent pencils.  And pencil sharpeners. 

It all started when our less-than-a-year-old electric pencil sharpener died.  I thought there might be something stuck in it, but First and Only Husband checked it out and it was just dead.  No way around it.  But that was okay.  We used the pencil sharpener on our paper shredder.  How nice of the paper shredder people to think of including a pencil sharpener on the shredder?????  I thought it was a weird place for a pencil sharpener, but was thankful anyway.  But it didn't sharpen pencils very well.  It was downright dull.  So I bought a plastic, handheld, purple pencil sharper.  The kids loved it.  They sharpened every pencil they could find.  We were lovin' every minute of it until it became dull and wouldn't sharpen anything.  So then I bought mechanical pencils.  No sharpener needed!  But I had gone the cheap route and one by one, the pencils broke.  So I bought more expensive mechanical pencils, and a new handheld pencil sharper for back-up.  Good thing, because my kids have lost the mechanical pencils, so we have fallen back on the stubby pencils we have left in our pencil box.  Not one of those pencils has an eraser on it.  Third Son (19 months old) has bitten every one of them off.  We do have those big pink erasers.  They look a little weary since Third Son has also taken a turn chewing/sucking on those. 

If all this pencil trauma isn't enough, my oldest three who are schooling, constantly lose the pencil they are writing with during school.  They put it down and forget where, only to look over and see their bro/sis with it in their hands.  Then we have to work through the stolen pencil business, encouraging someone to be the peacemaker in the dispute, which brings on such strong emotions in my children as there are no real decent pencils in the pencil box to choose from and when chosen, have been carefully selected.  Who wants to give up the best, stubbiest pencil in the box?

On, and on and on......God bless you if you have read this far.  I am really working and thinking hard about what can be done about our pencil situation.  I thought today that I would like for the kids to have some way to wear their pencils on a necklace chain around their necks, but I don't think such a solution exists?  Maybe we could super glue them to their hands?  Maybe I could just ask Third Son to quit chewing off the erasers and he would say, "Sure, Mom!"  LoL  Maybe one day during schooltime, I'll retreat to the bathroom with a box of Calgon and let it "take me away."  Do you think it would work?

Here's what I'll do.  I'll go jump on my jet, take a soothing bath and come back loving the skin I'm in.  ;-)