Today I Came Home with LICE (no, not really)
8 12 2008Today I wore dark brown tights and camel colored microsuede skirt. When I got home and changed into something comfy, I found tiny balls of camel colored microsuede embedded in my brand new great feeling tights.
I picked them off the best I could but I was reminded of last year and the “ordeal.”
We got lice in my classroom. They popped around. First one child, then another. We spent the entire fall and winter battling lice. It spread from one classroom to another. (Cause you know they are friends with other kids in other classes and they spend the night, etc.)
Us teachers were freaking out. We wore buns and braids. Our sofas were off limits and covered with sheets. We threw out pillows and rugs. But nothing helped. Two of us dye our hair so we were told we were REALLY OK. (It didn’t soothe our minds) We itched and called each other on the phone and scratched and wrinkled our noses. We all panicked.
The kids got their hair cut. They bathed regularly. From September to January once every month, each class in fourth grade had an appointment to visit the school nurse.
The first few months we were all so hopeful and then devastated when we still got reports of lice. (always nits, never live)
The relief we all felt when we all finally passed our monthly lice check was strange. We kinda didn’t believe it. We just knew SOMEONE had gotten through and been missed. But, no. It was finally over. The months of itching and scratching were soon replaced with summer skirts and no coats.
And while this post isn’t about a particularly funny student, it is about a peculiar and funny time of my teaching career. My first experience with lice in the classroom. Funny. Now.
Thank goodness I remain anonymous! After writing this, I gotta go itch.
