Huckleberries: Today begins sugar rush week for teachers

Now that Halloween’s here, we should pause for a moment of silence for elementary school teachers who’ll be dealing with sugar rushes today. While you spruce up yard displays and calculate candy reserves, some teachers are bracing for a trying day. A local kindergarten teacher who goes by the name Jen on her blog, A Butterfly Moment, lists Halloween as one of her most difficult days. Others are: the first day of school (because 5-year-olds “don’t have a clue about anything”). Also, sez Jen, any day with a field trip or an assembly can be harrowing “because it’s out of the normal routine and causes extra excitement.” The first snow creates a “buzz” and “causes kindergarteners to bounce off the walls.” Holidays are worst of all. Not Presidents Day. Nor Columbus Day. Nor Memorial Day. But ones that involve gifts, parties or candy – or all of the above. “A regular kindergarten day is enough to suck every ounce of energy from Wonder Woman,” writes Jen on her blog. “But as soon as you throw in costumes or sugar or Santa or wrapping paper, it’s like that MySpace video with the (Diet Coke) and Mentos.” (Think: Old Faithful geyser in a 2-liter plastic bottle.) Jen admits she’s banned the word “Halloween” from classroom discussion. On most days, she’d concur with the parents of the 13 Munchkins in her charge that they’re little angels. Today, however, she easily can see her baker’s dozen dressed as those flying monkeys from Oz. Before Dorothy melts the witch. Oh well, she sighs, at the end of her post in A Butterfly Moment, a few more days and it will be over – “until mid-November when Christmas trees appear.” Let’s hold off wishing Jen a “Merry Christmas” for as long as possible.