All this trouble over a slice of ham!

I was late for school today. Actually I never made it to my first class because I got to the parking lot at 9 am and drove around and around trying to get a spot for 25 minutes. I finally left and went to visit Charles at work. Anyway, that's not what this blog is about. Although I could write a seperate blog about the parking situation at UVU, I don't want to waste any more time on it. I got to the parking lot late because of the ham slice on the lunch menu at Lehi Elementary.

I told Tyler he could eat in the lunchroom at school today becauseI didn't have time to make him a lunch and because they were having french toast and a strawberry cup. French toast is great, I thought. He likes french toast! It would be a great change from the slice of bologna that he takes every other day. However, along with the french toast comes a slice of ham and a hasbrown pattie. This is where the trouble began. Most of us would love to get a slice of ham and hashbrowns with our french toast. But not Tyler. The addition of these two items caused him to go into melt-down mode before he left for school because he knew he wouldn't eat them and that the lunch room aide would make him eat it before he left for recess. Jacob and Abby told me the hashbrown was optional. You don't have to take it. But the ham slice comes on your tray. I really wanted him to eat the school lunch so I told him I would write a note to the teacher asking her to not make him eat the ham slice.

The note said, "Mrs. Ash, Tyler needs to eat in the lunchroom today but he is stressed out about eating the ham slice. He won't eat ham. I'm not sure what to do about the situation but could you help me? Forcing him to eat the ham will cause a melt-down. Thanks, Paula." I put the note in his folder and ran out the door hoping I didn't get a call from the school at lunch time telling me Tyler was in lock-up or melt-down mode for not eating his ham slice. Most mothers probably didn't have to worry that much this morning about a slice of ham and I'm sure no other UVU student had to worry about it. I came home from school to see the following e-mail from Mrs. Ash:

"I talked briefly to Tyler about lunch today....I think he wil be ok. I told him its ok if he does not eat his ham and that I will tell Mrs. Hobbs that its ok if he does not eat all his lunch. He is doing really well in class. He seems to enjoy it and participates very well. Hope he has good reports about school. He is a great boy and a good student. I enjoy him. Have a great day and hopefully I will see you tonight at Back-to-school.... Mrs. Ash"

I just found out from Tyler that the strawberries only came with the grilled cheese selection! So I paid $1.50 for one slice of french toast! That's all he got. He didn't bother to get any fruit from the serve-yourself options. I could have avoided all the trouble and been on time for my class if I would have just thrown a slice of bologna in a sack this morning and called it good.