Remember when we ruled the school?

My daughter Rebekah just arrived home with an impressive Grade 7 report card and announced she's officially a Grade 8 student and as such she and her classmates have reached the top of the public school mountain.

"Grade 8s rule the school Dad, don't you know," she said.

Yah, I think I've heard that before. The last time I looked I made it through my years at Vincent Massey Public School. If memory serves me correctly 1983 was my class's year to rule the school.

But unlike the Class of 1983, the Class of 2012 will require two things we didn't -- constant affirmation and being spoiled in ways that were unheard of in the 80s.

Call this my Daddy rant because I've officially been put on notice about all the expenses a Grade 8 will incur such as the semi-formal at Christmas ("I'll need a dress and shoes Dad"), the Grade 8 day at the Blue Jays (that's not unusual as most grades do that at least once), graduation ("You don't expect me to wear the same dress, do you?") and last but not least the grad trip to Montreal. The current Grade 8s return from their trip tomorrow and for the low cost of $500 Rebekah will be there in 2012.

My how times have changed. In my day we were lucky to get bussed to shop and home economics classes at St. J. Phillips. An out of province trip? That type of thinking just didn't happen. But the way things are these days field trips are far more common and costly. As a parent I constantly fill out the forms on a regular basis. Today's students are a well travelled bunch.

As I write this I can hear an old man ranting, "When I was a kid we walked 10 miles uphill to school and 20 miles back home." The weather was always worse and we suffered terribly on a daily basis.

Oh my gawd, I am that old man!

I told Rebekah not to worry about ruling the school. Her day will come as soon as the Labour Day weekend ends.

"Enjoy it because in one short year you'll be a nifty niner," I said.

Rebekah rolled her eyes at me. I get that a lot these days and don't expect it to end any day soon!

Ruling the school...those were the days, weren't they?