Rules of the Game

Today, I accompanied my son to his first birthday party from his new school, a Quidditch party, yes, Harry Potter Quidditch, the idea of which made the difference in him wanting to go to a party where he might not necessarily know that many people.

Not wanting to leave him, just in case he might feel uncomfortable or out of place, I watched as coaches taught about thirty kids the rules of this game that has, in the last few years, jumped from the pages of the books to become a widely played sport.  I can't say I totally understood what I was seeing (I am notoriously bad at absorbing game rules--every time my kids get a new game, I ask them to teach me how to play), but it was great fun to watch thirty eight-year-olds run around with broom-like things under them.

I'll admit, part of my reason for staying at the party was to meet other parents from his new school.  As new an experience as it is for him, it is new for me too.  Turned out I was not so good at the rules of that game either.  Surrounded by parents who had clearly known each other since kindergarten, I felt largely out of place and completely inept at getting myself into the game.  Maybe if I had been running around with a broom-like thing, it would have been different.

You would think that after all of these months of networking and new work situations, I would be a pro at talking to new people and having topics of "general interest" (thank you, Cheaper By the Dozen) to pull out in such situations.  Guess what?  Just as I've discovered new rules in every work situation I've entered, apparently "new parent in a new school" has its own rules.  From a distance, I saw my son (who never talks about any of the kids in his class) talking to a lot of kids.  Maybe I should have him teach me the rules.  And we'll see, if he does a good job, perhaps I'll have him coach me for my next job interview.