I don’t mind Valentine’s Day. I think the consumerism is too high, I’m glad no one tries to give me giant stuffed animals, and I don’t go goo-ga-lovey-dovy over it. But it can be nice to get a valentine and to help spread some smiles to others with a bit of candy.

But I wasn’t expecting the boarder line chaotic instructions that came home from my kid’s schools. What happened to sending your kids to school with some store bought, cardboard cutout valentines with a sucker taped to it? And celebrating on Valentine’s Day or the Friday before?

Ok, buckle up for this list of requests that came in the form of paper flyers, emails, texts, and 3 different class apps (Because why would the teachers at the same school district agree on one app when the school therapists all get different platforms too?).

Mr. L’s teacher requested valentines for his class- no names: to or from, extras appreciated for practice, she asked that they be sent in 1 week early, and their Valentine’s Day would be celebrated on the Monday of.

Mr. C’s teacher wanted valentines brought in with names written: to and from, and Valentine’s Day would be celebrated the Friday before.

Little Miss A’s Valentine’s were first requested with no names and then the Friday before that was changed to requesting my preschooler write just her name on all 21 of her cards. Because what preschooler doesn’t want to write their name 21 times in one sitting? Strawberries were requested to be brought in on Monday but her Valentine’s Day party wouldn’t be celebrated until the Tuesday afterwards.

Are you keeping up so far? Mr. C- Friday, both names. Mr. L- Monday, no names. Little Miss A- Tuesday, just her name.

Then we add in that Mr. L’s mainstream teacher requested Thursday before that he has valentines for her class too, early preferred, with both names on those. So I rushed back to the store to buy more and had them ready to take with him the next day… And his staff forgot to take them out of his backpack so they sat in his backpack all weekend and didn’t get to her early… So I sent a message via class app reminding the special Ed teacher that they were requested for his other class.

Let’s keep the complicated process going by finding out that Mr. C’s store bought box and Little Miss A’s didn’t have enough in them… So I helped my middle child hand make a few extra holiday cards, and I ran back to the store again because my youngest refused to help make a few. So now I have extra scented animal cardboard punch outs and erasers- cool.

But I still want these over worked teachers to feel remembered and I want them to like me, so if they mess up again with Mr. L we will hopefully have a decent rapport to work from. So I included hot chocolate bombs for the teachers and heart shaped Reese’s for their class aids.

I gotta be honest though and ask, with all the extra stuff teachers have to do right now, why are they over complicating this little holiday?

So please don’t judge me for just wanting Mexican take out, a homemade card, and was happily surprised by succulent flowers from the ever patient husband. And my daughter helped me pick out a movie for the husband in return.