"Well," I tell them, pausing my computer game and taking a sip of my mid-morning cocktail, "it's tough."
Unfortunately, now and again I feel a sting of something I've come to recognise as 'conscience' and wonder if maybe I should be giving back to society, or whatever. Equally unfortunately, Pete's school offers infinite opportunities to volunteer, which is why I found myself there several times this week.
One of the biggest puzzles of US society is its utterly clichéed me-first individualism, while at the same time Americans gave a whopping $400 billion to charity in 2017, putting them at the top of the World Giving Index. Pay taxes to look after everyone with equal healthcare and education? Oh no. Make up the shortfall directly out of your own pocket? This they like.
All of this is why Pete's (and every other) public school runs on volunteers and fundraising, and why I receive nods from other parents at pick-up time who have also chaperoned multiple trips, packed up classrooms at the end of term, or helped the school nurse administer flu shots. We're a loose collective, recognisable by our pre-printed visitor badges and emotional scars.
My first volunteering this week didn't really count, as it was to see Pete read a poem in front of the school. This was the annual poetry and prose competition, although (very strangely for America) no one was declared the winner. Pete seemed to consider being picked from his class to stand in front of the school to be the prize, and recited "Say Hello To Pikachu" with aplomb. So young, and already surpassing all literary achievements of his father.
Two days later I was back again for the school grand opening. The school has been open since January but now it was "grand", and various elected officials were here, including a representative of the lovely popular Texas Senator Ted Cruz, as was the school's oldest alumnus who started Kindergarten in 1929. Lets hope she graduates soon. The children sang, the principal cried, and we had to say the Pledge of Allegiance before the ribbon was cut.
Finally, Friday was the day of the school fun run, where they were hoping to raise $16,000 to keep the lights on a little longer. It was a slick affair, organised by a outside marketing company who (reportedly) took a 40% cut of donations. Hey - it's charity, but this is still the land of free market economics! We also had to sing the US National Anthem beforehand. Before a school fun run! Unfortunately I'd misread the information and believed Pete would run 16 laps, when in fact he did 35, which means I'm on the hook for quite a large sum of money.
Coming up in the next few days it's the Kindergarten 'sock hop' dance, followed by a field trip to the Museum of Natural Science. It's going to be a busy week for me once again, which is a shame as there are some particularly tricky levels on my current game that require my undivided attention...
Pete wows the crowd with his poem (authors: P & D Davies).
Neighbour and cycling-mate Levi recites his poem in Spanish.
Nara, a fellow Cub Scout and school friend of Pete, gets into character with his pizza poem.
Angels at the grand opening.
Dance beforehand from some embarrassed eighth graders.
Top performers.
Ribbon cut! Much rejoicing.
Lining up for the fun run in the sun. Fun for whom?
"Baby Shark" for the warm-up.
Pete and Elena sing the anthem. Elena is Chilean, Pete is British, but whatever.
Runners and riders.
Every mark on that T-shirt is another $20 I owe! Time to ask my wife for an extension to my credit.
