Show-and-Tell!

Children just love show-and-tell time at school, don’t they?

Show-and-tell is an exciting time for children to share something important to them and to share a glimpse into their lives away from the classroom. It’s a time for children to gain confidence in making presentations in front of others, which is really, really important.

Years ago, I was filled with pride when Tree, my fifth-grade son, asked me if I would go with him for the class show-and-tell time!

I thought maybe the teacher had assigned students to bring their role models to class.

No, perhaps it was to be someone who baked cookies for them.

Or maybe, since I was serving on a local school board, it was to be someone in the public eye or someone who helped schools. Even though my mind raced with possibilities, it really didn’t matter why he wanted me to come with him to school; I was just so pleased that he asked!


As Friday, the day for this event, drew near, I casually asked my son why he had chosen me. My question to him was rather matter-of-fact, no big deal. Well, it was no big deal to him, when he casually answered, “Oh, we’re supposed to bring examples of vertebrate animals, and I thought you’d be a good example.”

A vertebrate animal. Now, isn’t that special? I managed to keep a pleasant look on my face as I assured him I’d be there and that probably no one else would bring the same kind of animal as he was bringing to class. Ah, the sacrifices parents make!

But the best was yet to come! On Friday morning, as we readied for school, he said, “Oh, Mom; there’s just one thing. Mrs. Watkins said if the animal was large it had to be in a cage.”

A cage? Did my son think I was going to be put into a cage? I went with him that day, but as this vertebrate animal and her son walked into the classroom, we both indeed walked. I was not in a cage.

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Copyright 2008 Sherry Shealy Martschink