The colder weather was approaching and we heard those dreaded words from our parents.
“We’re going coat shopping today.”
I am NOT a winter person.
I hate everything about it. The cold. The short, dark days. The snow. The heavy sweaters. The big bulky coats.
We suffered through the torture that day and I actually came home pleased.
I found a coat that I loved.
It was comfortable, warm, soft, and it was the perfect shade of yellow – pale and not overbearing.
It’s hard for me to actually fall in love with a winter coat, but this one did it for me.
I waited out the weekend and I couldn’t wait to wear it to school that Monday morning.
I was eager to show it to my friends, excited about how much I actually loved a winter item.
When I got to school that morning I slowly started hearing the snickers and evil giggles going on around me.
Everyone else hated that coat. And they made sure to let me know.
There were jokes. Laughter. Points and stares. Name calling.
Banana Boat.
School Bus.
Big Fat Lemon.
And more. Many more.
I remember willing each minute of that day away, just begging for the chance to go home.
And when that bell finally rang at 3:00 to dismiss us, I headed home and cried.
It was my first taste of how mean and cruel kids could really be.
It also made me realize how I never wanted to treat someone else.
I never wore that coat again.
And yellow is still not my favorite color.
So I might not have had the best experience that winter, but I was able to learn from it.
I can even laugh about it now.
And what am I able to laugh at even more? Looking back on those incredibly embarrassing pictures full of terrible haircuts and hideous clothing trends.
I’m also not the only one who can laugh about this dreadful time in our childhood.
I’ve teamed up with 22 other bloggers to present to you…
Name That Kindergartener
It’s simple – just match the picture to the blogger listed below. What’s in it for you? Other than a good laugh, you can win an $300 Amazon gift card!
Enter your answers HERE.
Participating Bloggers:
Participating bloggers, in alphabetical order:
Angela of Angela Amman
Angie of Angie Kinghorn
Deborah of Ask Doctor G
Robin of Farewell Stranger
Poppy of Funny or Snot
Leigh Ann of Genie in a Blog
Greta of Gfunkified
Jennifer of Jennifer P. Williams
Tonya of Letters for Lucas
Kiran of Masala Chica
Laura of Mommy Miracles
Natalie of Mommy of a Monster (and Twins)
Brittany of Mommy Words
Jessica of My Time as Mom
Kimberly of Reflections of Now
Tracy of Sellabit Mum
Elaine of The Miss Elaine-ous Life
Sarah of The Sunday Spill
Galit of These Little Waves
Kristin of Two Cannoli
Arnebya of What Now and Why
Kristin of What She Said
Alison of Writing, Wishing
Terms and conditions apply:
- You must be 18 years or older to enter.
- This contest is only open to residents of USA and Canada.
- This contest is open from March 11 – 15, 2013 (closes at 9pm Eastern).
- Visit the link above, where you will be able to enter your guess for each blogger pictured. (All information will be kept private.)
- The person to correctly match all the faces with their blog will win a $300 Amazon gift card. The two other closest guesses will each win one $80 Amazon gift card.
- This is not a sponsored post. Prizes are paid for out of the participating bloggers’ own pockets.
- You CAN enter more than once!
- Winners will be announced week of March 18.
- If more than one person correctly matches all the faces with their blogs, we will randomly pick a winner via random.org.
- If no one guesses all the faces correctly, the winner will be the person who made the most correct guesses.
“Name That Kindergartner” was inspired by the ”Name That DIY Blogger” contest, over at My Blessed Life.
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Kimberly
Latest posts by Kimberly (see all)
- Essence of Now: June 14, 2003 - June 13, 2013
- Hurt - June 10, 2013
- Essence of Now: June 7, 2013 - June 6, 2013
Hi, my name is Kimberly! I am a wife of 1 and mom to 4. I'm a social media addict and book lover. This blog is a raw and honest look at life through my eyes. I capture the moments as I fumble through motherhood, marriage, and my new graphic design career. I am sometimes funny, a bit sarcastic, and always sleep deprived.
Twitter: FarewellStrangr
says:
Oh, awful! Kids really can be so mean. I bet it was a great coat and I’m sure you looked lovely in it.
Happy to have you as part of this group now!
Twitter: GalitBreen
says:
Oh you, that story makes me so sad! But I know what you mean — it’s the kind of stuff that makes kindness so very important to us!
(Can we still be friends even though I LOVE yellow? I would’ve loved and complimented you on that coat to no end!
)
Love that you shared this, and love being a part of this with you!
xo
Even in kindy kids can be mean. I volunteer in my son’s class sometimes and am sometimes shocked what comes out of their cute little mouths.
Twitter: AlisonSWLee
says:
Oh hon. I was called elephant in kindy because my name was so close to that. I was hurt beyond belief and I can still remember how it felt, over 30 years later. Kids can be so mean!
But our kindy pictures are hilarious, so there’s that. Love doing this with you and the other 21 friends!
Kids are terrible… I hear about it every day from my girls. I’ve even seen it first hand while at their schools and honestly I don’t think that there is ever a good reason to behave that way.
Love this project! The pics are cute!
I had a purple coat, and felt the exact same series of feelings. Except I was a grape, of course. I’ll be fruit salad with you anyday!
Kids can be so mean. That really sucks. I’m glad you can laugh about it now. I’m not sure I ever could.
Twitter: sundayspill
says:
what meanies! I”m sure I would have loved that coat. Seriously yellow? comfortable? yes and yes. xox
Twitter: s
says:
That just makes me mad. You had a gorgeous yellow coat you loved! They should not have destroyed it for you. Thank goodness we have the tools now to give it back the way we got it.
Twitter: queenofchaosmom
says:
I hate winter, too. That story makes me hate it even more. I’m embarrassed to admit that I can’t figure out most of these pictures.
Twitter: kferrandino
says:
Um. Hello. Didn’t those kids know it wasn’t called “banana”? It was “daffodil”.
Dummies.
I am sure you looked hot in it and they were just jealous.
Kids are so mean. I was called tuna because I had tuna every day for lunch. Jerks.
Twitter: elainea
says:
Can I commiserate? It wasn’t Kinder, more like 2nd grade, but I was riding my bike by the middle school that was across the street from my house and I was kinda chubby… Some kids sitting on the curb saw me ride by and I heard them say, “Oh look, there goes the bus”. I went home and cried.
Kids can be cruel. But I bet your coat was fabulous, just like you!
xo
Twitter: whatnowandwhy
says:
Kimberly, I am a hater of winter too. I simply cannot tolerate the cold. I’m sitting in my office now with an illegal heater under my desk, a sweater over my sweater, and a blanket over my legs. Yes, I brought a blanket to work. I keep asking them to buy me a Snuggie but it hasn’t materialized yet.
Even though your story made me sad, it made me smile too because it makes you remember how to be (or how it feels to be treated poorly.) That’s really all any of us can ask for, to show empathy effortlessly. And I bet you look great in marigold.
Twitter: LauraORourke
says:
Oh – this is heartbreaking. And it brings up a really similar memory for me.
In elementary school, I was given a pair of bellbottom pants for my birthday. I wore them to school and was taunted and teased about them. I felt worthless and I never wore the pants again.
…and then I couldn’t believe it when bellbottoms became stylish again only a year or two later. (I’m the original hipster).
Oh Kim! That makes me so sad. Why oh why are kids so mean, even that little of kids? I worry for my kids’ hearts so much
Aw, that’s so sad! An awesome yellow coat would be so in right now. I’m sorry that’s what you remember about kindergarten, but I’m glad you can laugh about it now!
Twitter: BrittanyVandy
says:
I love yellow! I can’t believe kindergartners did that! I wish you had a more wonderful kindergarten experience and oh my yes, I hate winter too!
This made me sad. How is it that children, so innocent and pure can also be so incredibly cruel?
Happy that we are in DBA together and a part of this colab together too!