“Get. Out. Of. The. Car.”

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, my wife both drops off and picks up our daughter from school. I’ve got her on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I’ve known for awhile that our daughter acts differently when she’s only got me around than when she’s only got her mom around. Today proved the point.

On the way to school, our daughter said she didn’t want to go. This was despite the fact that she’s had nothing but good things to say about school and the fact that she was making the trip with her older cousin who she idolizes. In fact, her older cousin goes with her to school every day, and though that cousin doesn’t like school that much, she’s been a great help in getting our daughter excited about attending these first two weeks.

Today, none of that mattered.

Our daughter apparently bickered with my wife in the car on the way to school then refused to get out of the car in the drop-off line. My wife was furious just telling me about the incident.

“What did H. do?” I asked, referring to our niece.

“She tried to cajole her.”

It worked. Our daughter went in.

She then proceeded to make friends, get rewarded for good behavior, and have a great time. She was chagrinned at having me bring the event up to her this evening when my wife was out feeding the chickens.

This was not a case, it seems to me, of real disenchantment with school or even growing disillusionment. This was a straight up plea for attention and care from her mama.

My internal comment? There’s no escaping school and the education and discipline it brings. It can happen with a bunch of other kids or it can happen with me at home.

We’ll see what she has to say tomorrow. I’m on drop-off and pick-up duty.