School shadowing

Yesterday, Chris got to shadow at the private school, I was leaning towards. The work day dragged, especially since I took a late lunch to pick him up. I have to say, their pick up method...is not orchestrated very well. It's almost chaiotic. It could be done sooo much better.

Anyway, while we are walking back to the car, I ask him, "So how was it?"

His response? "I'll tell you in the car." Uh-oh. "It was okay. The kids are mean though."

"The kids are mean? How so?"

"At recess kids were throwing balls at other kids. They weren't nice."

"Did they throw them at you?"

"No, but they were throwing them at other kids they didn't know."

"How do you know that, Chris? You have to realize these kids have been together since pre-school. Just like you in your present school, you know 8th graders AND you know kindergartners. I'm sure they all know each other."

"They are mean; and they didn't know each other."

Obviously, I'm not getting through to him.

"Was anyone mean to you?"

"Not really. I tried to talk to one kid, but he didn't answer."

Now, Chris isn't the loudest kid in the world - thanks to being shy. So I gently point out, "Maybe he didn't hear you."

"No, he ignored me. My "buddy" for the day even said, 'don't talk to him he's mean.'

His other friend Abbey also shadowed at the other private school, that we wrote off of our list.

"What did Abbey say about St. Joe's?"

"She said they are the same there - mean."

Sigh.

So, what was hopefully going to seal this up and I'd have my decision by TODAY - has now made matters worse.

I called my husband and he suggested calling the public school and see if he can shadow there. He said this will also show me if they CAN call me back at a reasonable amount of time, unlike last time where it took them a week to do it. You see, if I have an issue at the school, I NEED A PHONE CALL BACK!

I thought that was a brilliant idea. So, I called the guidance counselor who gave us the tour last week, and left a message on his voice mail that I had a question and to please call me back. As of 11am the next day I still do NOT have a phone call back.

So, the way I am looking at it, he needs to reconsider St. Joe's, or just deal with where he shadowed yesterday, because the majority of his school is going there - and he WILL know kids there.

Over the past few days, I have also noticed that Chris is in a horrible mood. Knowing this is unlike him, I have to toss it up to the fact that he is incredibly stressed over this as well.

Again, the whole situation sucks!

I've prayed for guidance and am back at square one.

What is a mother to do?