(Isn't it weird that so many of us have "issues"? I think it's weird. Maybe I'm just weird. Or maybe I have issues.)
Anyway, today he came home with his first "PRIDE Slip," which pretty much means he was a creep-o in class today and upset a whole lot of kids. Said mean things, didn't pay attention, cut up in P.E., and the list goes on. Fortunately, the slip only gives three lines of explanation, so the teacher doesn't have to spend the whole afternoon writing it out.
My son and I have a talk, and we establish both what he did and what he should have done. And then I sign it. And he signs it. I even make him write out his last name, spelling it for him since he's in first grade (I told you he had issues).
Is he remorseful. Not really. More matter-of-fact that in the heat of the moment he made some stupid choices, and will try to do differently. But then he picks up the slip and--oh, the change in his demeanor!--his eyes widen with excitement, and then--
"Mom, my name! It's on the other sheet!" Yes, two pages are together, the bottom yellow form creating a lovely blue copy of the top white form.
I'd tell him what kind of paper it is, but I just don't know. It's that paper-that-when-written-on-gets-those-copied-blue-line-things-on-it.
"How does it do that?" he asks me.
Now, I can explain that... so I do... and, tickled, flapping the paper back and forth so that he can see over and over how well the yellow sheet has copied the white, he skips back to his room to put it lovingly into his backpack.
Yup, my son has issues.
As issues go, that doesn't seem too bad.
ReplyDeleteOne year a nun sent one of those home with me but accidentally put my older brothers name on it,
ReplyDelete"I beat him with a 2x4 and pushed him into a snow bank and changed his name to Mark"
was the comment he wrote back. My father always believed it better to be a smart ass than a dumb ass.
The kids with "issues" are far more interesting, in the long run. Besides, every kid has them. If they're perfect, it just means you haven't found it yet, and it's probably a whopper.
ReplyDeleteYep, it seems a small issue… but as parents we tend to put our kids under a magnifying glass.
ReplyDeleteWith you guidance there is no doubt he will grow into a wonderful person, full of talent and a bright future.
Try to not harp on the bad things or your kids will start to see them and believe that’s what they are… instead of seeing the positives and believe they are special in a good way.
Best of luck and glad to see you got the WIP progress charts figured out.