Aunt’s perspective

Parents' day is not just for parents.

“The parents’ day visit will be held tomorrow, but I can’t go so, I hope you can go to the junior high school class visit instead and my daughter says it’s better if no one comes to the parent’s day.”

“Well, I know how my niece feels so I’ll go but in discreet black clothes, so as to not embarrass her.”

So I suddenly decided to go to my niece’s class visit. As an aunt who has been attending class visits since her first grade, I was disappointed that I could not attend classes due to the pandemic so I was looking forward to it.

During my niece’s elementary school class visits, they were confused about explaining to their friends that I was not their mum. So I taught them to explain that I was “daddy’s sister”. And the children would surround me and ask, “How old are you?”

Everyone raises their hand in the class. But when pointed to by the teacher, about three students replied, “I forgot”. That’s how active they were, but when it comes to junior high school students, they were very quiet.

The classroom was so small that parents could only observe the classroom from the corridor. My niece was seated at the very back, on the corridor side, so I was able to say hello to her. I wonder if it was a bit awkward for her.

The first hour was a social studies lesson. In the quiet classroom, my niece actively raised her hand to speak up. Is it just a show for her aunt?

Second period, Technology. “Where is the technology room?”, I asked my niece, “I won’t tell you!” What the heck is this conversation?! I followed my niece and got there.

The class was about building bookshelves. I miss the jigsaw. The jigsaw was the only way I could get a “5” in art. I made wooden animal puzzles.

The classes started. Each student’s progress was very different. While most of the students were hammering nails, on the other hand, my niece had already finished assembling and was in the sanding stage. Do I have to watch her sanding for 50 mins? She was sitting in the front row, but with her back to me, so I hardly saw her doing it.

So I decided to observe the making of various students. These activities would reveal their personal skills and characters. The ones where the drawers did not go in after the nails were driven in, and then the nails were pulled out. The ones where the boards become slanted. Some were helping others. My niece was praised by her teacher for having a smooth sanded surface.

The bell went. It seemed better to leave quietly. I simply said, “Well, see you,” and my niece simply said, “See you later.” There was a light drizzle.

The next day, my niece LINED me. It seems she has a line sticker she wants me to buy. And, “How was the class visit?”, it said. It seems that she is willing to hear what I think.

Her aunt considered the silky feedback carefully.

“The class visit was interesting. I’m glad I went. You only did some sanding. I was surprised that you are good at DIY. Like ballet and calligraphy, you have a good understanding and ability to get close to the finished image. I’m looking forward to seeing the finished product after you’ve painted it.”

A bunny raising a hand and said, “Ha-ha-ha!” sticker was sent to me.