Pick me! Pick me!

One of the many perks of living near our nation's capitol is the awesome field trip opportunities my children have. They've been to some great places in the year and a half we've been here - the Kennedy Center, Jamestown, Yorktown, Gunston Hall, Frying Pan Park, etc. There's so much history and culture for our kids to experience in this area!

Of course when field trips are planned, that means parents are invited to come along as chaperones. It seems to me parents of younger students (kindergarten through probably 2nd grade) are more apt to want to chaperone a field trip than parents of older elementary students. Little kids are always excited about mom or dad joining them for anything, and they're usually pretty compliant and very manageable. Older students don't seem to require mom or dad's presence as much, and let's face it... they're generally loud and obnoxious on field trips, or anytime for that matter. Both of my boys still want me to accompany them on field trips, which is a nice feeling, even if my older son's class makes me want to go on a drinking binge halfway through any event.

Both boys' classes are going to be visiting the White House sometime before school is out, however the date hasn't been set yet. My boys have been on the White House lawn before, but never inside the White House. They're really excited about going and I'm equally excited for them to go. I only dreamed of visiting the White House when I was a kid! Okay, I'll spare you the details of how deprived I was growing up, unable to go anyplace as cool as the White House.

Now that the White House is the destination of this upcoming field trip, how many parents do you suppose are volunteering to chaperone? I have no idea of course, but I would imagine there will not be enough slots for those wishing to go along. In fact, my younger son's teacher has already informed the parents of her students that those of us who have already participated in a field trip this year "need not apply" for the White House tour. I understand it's only fair to offer up the opportunity to parents who have previously been unable to participate, but that's before I knew there was a possibility of going to the WHITE HOUSE! Had I known they were going to the WHITE HOUSE in the spring, I wouldn't have volunteered to go to ol' Frying Pan Park in the fall. Duh!

I feel like Horshack on the "Welcome Back, Kotter" 70s TV show. I just want to yell, "Ooh-ooh-ooh! Pick me! Pick me!"

Perhaps the fact that both of my kids' classes are going on this field trip will mean my chances of being asked to chaperone are doubled. I have to think positively, don't I?