A few months ago, I noticed that my kids were running around the house collecting any loose coins that they found lying around on the tables, in the car, etc. This didn’t bother me, I thought maybe they were being industrious and trying to save money, after all, they know that my husband and I have been collecting coins for years. Snicker if you want, but by the end of the year we once had a little over $600. But when they started hitting up my coin stash, I got suspicious.
“What are you doing?” I asked Miss 13. She looked at me in the way that only a 13~year~old can, I mean one who’s afraid to roll her eyes because she knows she’ll be chasing them down the hall but with just enough attitude to remind me that she’s now a teenager. “I need a dollar twenty~five.” I looked at her like she’d better finish that explanation, even though I’ve told them I can read their minds, I like to know they can verbalize. “I need money for the coffee bar at school.” Dead.
Since when does high school come equipped with baristas? These kids have a full blown coffee bar set up in their school ~ plain coffee, vanilla lattés, white chocolate flavored coffee, etc. Are you kidding me? I love coffee, goodness knows I love coffee, but should the school be serving coffee to students? Is that really what they want, a school full of caffeinated teenagers with attitude?
Are you ready for the kicker? My kids said that the coffee bar is so popular that they have to give all of their money to whichever one of them makes it into line first and then he or she gets the coffee for everyone because if they have to wait in line they’ll either run out of coffee or time before they get a chance to buy their coffee. Seriously?
And did I mention that the coffee isn’t sold during lunch? No, it’s sold during their mid~morning break. Mid. Morning. Break. Buried.
I’m not against the whole coffee at school thing. I started drinking coffee when I was eleven or so (without my parents’ knowledge) so I completely understand the want/need/desire. But, man, high school has changed a lot since I left those locker lined halls. When I was in high school we had our choice of chocolate milk or vanilla milk. That was it. Now these kids can choose between soda, fruit juice, bottled water, hot chocolate and a selection of flavored coffees….
Does your kids’ school serve coffee? Would it bother you if they did?