Ii’s report card time again. That time of year when teachers hide away in their houses, pouring over grades and anecdotal notes in an attempt to communicate to parents the progress their children are making. In a way that can’t be misunderstood.

Over the years I’ve noticed that report card time comes in five stages:

Stage 1: Denial
Wait, what?! Report cards go home next week. No, that can’t be true. The term can’t possibly end on Friday. That means I only have one more weekend to work on them. No. No. No.

Stage 2: Anger
I hate report cards. If there was one thing I could get rid if in my job, it would be report cards. They’re the worst.

Stage 3: Bargaining
I should work on report cards. OR! I could clean the bathroom, because that would definitely be a more enjoyable experience. And if I’m not going to work on report cards, I should at least do something productive. Then it’s okay to not work on them (It’s funny how my house gets really clean right before report cards are due each term). OR, instead of working on report cards I could write a blog post about how I don’t want to work on report cards. Yea, I think I’ll do that.

Stage 4: Depression
Sigh. I probably should work on report cards soon. Or I could just sit here. I really don’t want to work on report cards. (Suddenly 2 hours have gone by.)

Stage 5: Acceptance
Ok, here we go. Friday will come, whether I want it to or not. I might as well get to work.

Three times a year I go through all five stages. I spend too much time in stages 3 and 4.

Okay, time to get back to report cards.

photo credit: kevin dooley via photopin cc