Syd Goes To School

Well the time has finally come.. My daughter will be going to school. I will be brave, as I know this is the first steps she will take to become a young woman.

My wife on the other hand would like nothing more then for Syd to stay 5 years old, living on the farm forever. I love Syd, but living at home forever, that's even a stretch for me.

Though we live far from her school, she knows more then half of the other student's that will be in attendance. The school secretary is a friend of the family, and has known Syd since she was just a new born, so there's that comfort. I was a little concerned about where she would attend school. Our property line is in two school zones. She could have gone to Lincoln where my wife attended, however there wouldn't be any diversity in the class room. Something my wife and I strive to give our daughter on a daily basis. So we thought it would be a great choose to send her to the school she will attend.

Though the town she will attend school in is a white town, there has been an influx of Afro-Americans, and Hispanics to the town. Mostly due to Katrina; we were one of the stops for those who lost their homes, and most stayed, and the growing Hispanic population in the NWA area. That's Northwest Arkansas for those of you who didn't know. Off track for a moment..

Funny Story about Katrina, if there was any. After the storm, and bus loads of people came in from LA. I was washing my car at the local car wash, when this young couple drove up next to me. We struck up a conversation; something I always do with people, and after a while the young lady ask me "So are you going to be staying in Arkansas?" I'm like um, yeah why? Aren't you from LA? LOL, "No I live on a 350 acre farm south of town. I've been here for years." Another one... I was mailing out some packages at one of those mail stops, when the woman behind the counter, who hadn't been here more then 6 months, asked me the same question. I thought to myself, "you are new here in town, and you are asking me if I'm going back to where I came from?" I live here, have lived here for years!

Anyway back to Syd and school. I wanted nothing more then for my daughter to attend a private school, as I thought that this would be the best thing for her. Is it? I'm glad that she will have the experience of other cultures, though few. She will get to see it all... Rednecks, Hispanics, other black children, and even a few Asians. I think this is going to be a great start. What she doesn't learn in public school, I'm more then willing to teach her.

Well so much for that respite!