Sandy Southwest

Do working parents contribute to truancy?

Interesting question, yes?

i believe that it can.  The family having 2 working parents leave that leave the home before school and requiring the child to get themselves ready for school and then to get there leaves concern that the child will choose not to go to school that day.  Too much freedom being given. 

Now, my mom was not a working mom - she choose to stay home and raise us.  But I still found a way to skip school...

I tried skipping school several times in the 10th grade....granted, I detested living in Kansas - my brother and sister joke with me that we only had to live there for 364 days - not even for a whole year.  We didn't enjoy Kansas whatsoever.  Nor did we like the schools!  It was not an easy year.

And I had early morning seminary!  Scary - even though we lived across from the building on the post where class was held - I hated going - I hated having to be up that early (can you say 5 am?) each day.  I wanted to SLEEP - not learn about the gospel from some boring dad!

I would take the bus to school and then leave!  But wouldn't you know it - after the 2nd time, the school would call my mom - or even worse - they would call my dad - at WORK!  Calling my dad at work was a bad idea!  He ws at Command and General Staff in Kansas (a school for officers in the military) - so interrupting him was interrupting his class he was in!  Bad idea! 

I would come home on the bus - and pretend that I had been in school all day....

until the day the school called my mom.  And she met me at the door.  I don't have to tell you about how embarassing the following conversation was, do I?  It went sort of like this:

Mom:  How was school today?

Me:  Fine.

Mom:  That's interesting...

Me:  (walking right into this!)  Why?

Mom:  Because the school called and said that you weren't in classes all day.  Did you have an appointment that I forgot to take you to?  Did you have to walk?

Me (now I know I'm dead - or at least grounded until I'm 30):  n-n-no...

Mom:  That's what I thought too.

Me: oh.

Mom:  So your dad and I have come up with a solution!  Want to hear it?

Me (no, because I know that they are going to kill me!):  sure...

Mom:  As of tomorrow, I will drive you to school myself!  And I have arranged for the school to call me if you are not in class.  That way we both will know if you are not school!  Sounds great, huh?  And then I will pick you up from school each day!

Me:  um...okay...

What she didn't tell me was that she had arranged for the school to call her if I was even 5 minutes late for class!  So, now she not only knew if I was skipping school, but if I was tardy!

Needless to say - I didn't skip school again.  Ever!

And yes, my mom dropped me off - and picked my up to the end of that school year.