Here is my rant. I have never been to either the junior high or high school on Valentine's Day before. I was shocked!!! I could not believe how many parents purchased elaborate bouquets and other Valentine memorabilia for their children to be delivered to their little sweet-ums while in school. The high school front office looked like a floral store!
I watched one teen walk out of the office with a glass vase filled with a dozen roses. Never mind the fact that I'm pretty sure I didn't get a dozen roses until I popped out my first kid; what on earth was that girl supposed to do with them while she was at school? It's not like she has a place to display them!
I appreciate the fact that these parents want their child to know they are loved, but disrupting the entire school and staff is inappropriate. I send my kids' to school to get an education, not to learn who's parent's can buy the most expensive floral decorations.
We want schools to trim expenses, right? Well here's a way, people! Stop wasting the teachers' and secretarial staff's time on floral delivery and let them get on with their real jobs. The junior high school had two staff members on hand just to receive and distribute the vast array of valentines. I mentioned to them that I had no idea that so many parents brought in valentines. They nodded and then thanked me emphatically for not contributing to the chaos.
Don't get me wrong--I am not anti-Valentine's Day. Our family has a tradition where little dollar-sized, heart-shaped boxes of chocolate mysteriously materialize in each of the kid's backpacks or lunchboxes on Valentine's Day. The kids' get a little sweet surprise, they get to feel special, and they look forward to it each year, but it in no way disrupts their education.
So bottom line--yes, please acknowledge Valentine's Day with your children! They need to know they are loved! Just don't do it in a "keeping-up-with-the-Joneses" sort of way. All it does is separate the school into haves and have-nots. In today's society, we certainly don't need any young people to feel more isolated or estranged from their classmates.
My two cents. Whew! Ok! Rant done.
Have a terrific Valentine's Day!
Ranger
I also started messing with his ears a little more. I've been putting a bridle on him almost every day for several weeks with no problem, but the last couple of days, he's started throwing his head a little when I slip the headstall over his far ear. I'm trying to nip that in the bud before he starts a bad habit.
Worked a little on yielding his forequarters from the ground using direct pressure. He's prone to just wanted to lean on it instead of moving off, so I increased pressure by tapping with the end of the lead rope. It took him a couple minutes, but then he seemed to get it. Hopefully he'll understand better now that when I touch him on the shoulder with my foot, it means move his front leg across and over.