The day Bingo came round for Tea
I knew it was coming, alphabetically it had to be coming, I have just done a good job of filing it in the forget section of my brain. The sheer joy on the little lady’s face as she left her classroom on Friday was met with the same level of fear, clearly visible on my face.
“Daddy, Daddy, Daddy. It’s our turn to have Bingo”
Bingo, or FFS, bloody thing, as I prefer to call it, is the class mascot, who comes home occasionally and shares your evening and then you get to record the “fun” in a journal. Only this year he had upped his game! Not content with a quick overnight sleepover, he has decided to disrupt an entire weekend.
To be honest, I don’t actually dislike him. It is the level some parents go to, competing it seems at who can do the coolest or most original thing. There is always one, that super organised parent who has arranged a flying lesson for him. Or Susan, you know Susan? She’s that mum, who is the class/parent monitor, and organises the Christmas fair, yes, that’s the one. She made the hand-crafted quilted bag that Bingo travels in and has the perfect house, and the perfect family and her little Jonnie has a halo and can do no wrong. Well, Susan decided that Bingo should join the family on a spar retreat.
“No Susan, it’s not OK to take a Teddy Bear on a spar weekend to compete with a flying lesson. Just take the bloody thing to KFC and be done with it”!
Safely at home, I took a quick glance through Bingo’s Journal to suss out the challenge. All the normal ones had been taken. He had been to Mcdonald’s twice, swimming once, the park, a national park and countless grandparents’ houses. I had to be on my game this time.
Most of my suggestions were thrown straight back at me, he didn’t want to walk to the shop by all accounts, or build any Lego and to my disappointment, didn’t want to go for a swim in the local river (and not return). See, even under stress and duress, I still attempt to help out my fellow parents, we are a tribe after all.
What did Bingo do you ask? Well, to be honest, not a lot. But he probably deserved that. Judging by some of his adventures he needed a rest. He baked a cake, he played with play-doh, he even got to play shops with Barbie and Baby Annabel too and judging by the new injury he has received it appears he even did some painting.
Overall, I think our weekend with Bingo went rather well and fingers crossed we won’t have him over again this year.
And finally…………..
“See Susan, you don’t have to spend a small fortune, or go to lavish extremes to entertain Bingo, he is quiet happy staying in and chilling”
Perhaps I will introduce him to YouTube next time?
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We’ve just had my youngest’s class mascot home for the weekend too. He was so excited to have it home and we had a nice time with him, having a relaxing weekend as the kids are getting tired with all the extra pre-Christmas things they are doing at school. What I do hate about the class mascot it that there are some parents that take it too far and compete to see who can do the most spectacular things with it, not for me! Love your point about not having to spend a small fortune or go to lavish extremes to entertain.
I dread getting the class bear for the weekend – some parents take it SO seriously and there’s a huge amount of one-upmanship in the exercise book that comes with it. Totally with you on giving the bear a quiet, relaxing time after all the adventures!
Even adventursome bears need a rest occasionally.
Ahhh, the class bear (more family PA chores!) Boy Child’s won’t be requesting a return visit, he was vomited on. Girl Child’s however went to the beer festival so I’m sure that “wins” the class bear competition doesn’t it?
Wow, a bear festival. That certainly would win the most exciting day in his little journal.
Oh I can so relate. My little boy came home with the class dog ‘Fudge’ last year, and the previous family had just taken him to ruddy Florida (We have a Susan too)! As there was no topping that, he went to the supermarket, had a tea party and watched some tele. Job Done – #itsok.
I’m starting to think ‘Susan’ is everywhere! Why on earth would fudge want to go to Florida? Long haul flights, the chance to go missing. He is much better of at the supermarket or in front of the TV!
Exactly!
I have an undisguised and deep contempt for the sodding class bear. Ours comes with a book of previous weekend antics where literally each and every other parent seems to have pulled out all the stops in entertaining Mr Peanut Butter with lavish trips out and educational crafts.
When he came to stay with us we had a trip to Tesco’s and he attended a ‘movie night’ …In our front room.
#ItsOK
I’m with you 100%. Damn those lavish trips and crafty excursions. TV and Tesco’s are the way forward!
Oh Ian, Oh Ian!!! You are a man that so many moms out there are gunning for, why you ask? HONESTY! That’s what you are daddy dear! 🙂 … I don’t get the time to take myself to a spa, let alone drag my kid and class bear with! What’s wrong with bear experiencing all the normal day to day things that our children do! Listen carefully, I think bear just loved being part of a normal family and not being whisked away to all these “exotic” locations where someone else takes care of him. I am sure he enjoyed being snuggled, eating homemade food and sleeping in a house where love is felt! P.S. Who likes a PTA mom anyway! Thanks for lining up #itsok
That sounds like a new level of competitive parenting hell!
I like how you handled the pressure!
#itsok
Don’t get me started on class teddy bears – I’ve written several blog posts on the dratted things. I hate them! #itsok
I will head over to your blog and ‘compare notes’. I am a big believer that ‘hate’ is a strong word. But, in this instance it is fully justified!
Haha … brought back memories of my daughter doing that in primary with her mascot thingie … cycling with him in her basket, on the beach … all that. And lovely photos. Nice one!
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