I love caller ID. Without even picking up the phone, I see one of the children’s schools on the ID and I know something is wrong. Is it the middle school? Noah must be having a nosebleed. Is it the high school? Sarah must have lost her cell phone. Is it the elementary school? Maybe Amy is sick or hurt or missed the bus or one of the many other mini-calamities that have befallen Amy at school this year. This week, it was Amy’s teacher calling. When the words “I need to tell you about something that happened today” are spoken by your child’s teacher, it’s not good. This was one of those calls.
The way the teacher told the story, a parent was reading a book to the class and the children were sitting on the floor in front of the parent reader. The parent reader stopped reading and said, “That’s NOT appropriate behavior.” Amy was sitting next to a little boy and they had hands in each others’ laps. Not just in laps, but very purposely in an anatomically gender related area. We were appalled. “Why? Why would Amy do this?” The teacher reassured us that she didn’t think Amy was forced to do this. We were not reassured. The rest of the day we were deer-in-headlights dysfunctional. Finally, Amy came home from school and the Spanish Inquisition began.
Amy’s story made things much clearer although equally perplexing. There were no hands in her lap. However, her hand was in the little boy’s lap because “he put it there and was using both of his hands to keep it there. He had to turn his card four times, but I didn’t get in trouble ’cause it wasn’t my fault.” Umm, I still don’t understand why she was allowing this to happen. I’m a little curious why the little boy was doing this. It would be helpful if the teacher had told us that this boy just hadn’t grown out of that toddler “use it as a handle” stage. I guess she could have told us something less comforting to explain the behavior, but still, I have five children and I’ve never gotten a call like this before. Since I’m pretty sure that Sarah told Amy to punch the boy next time he tries anything, I expect we’ll be getting another call from the teacher soon.
At least it wasn’t the F-Bomb!
I think I’m with Sarah. While not entirely appropriate behavior for school, boys will think twice before messing with her again. (I told Kasia in front of the principal at the elementary school that if a certain boy touched her again, she was to downblock him and put him in a joint lock until she got him to the principal’s office. The principal didn’t like that very much.)
I agree with Sarah. Even if Amy gets in trouble, she will have established her “no touch me there” zone for all the other boys to see. My daughter took care of a boy when she was in 1st grade because he wouldn’t let go of her….let’s just say she hasn’t had the problem ever again. I do not condone violence,but that old saying “if you don’t listen you have to feel” is just so true.
good advice from Sarah!
It never ends! My kids are 23 and 21 and there is always something exciting going on. Don’t be discouraged….its all good. However, I do remember getting the call from the dean of engineering from UT regarding my son’s behavior. That was a fun time!….not until much later though.
Oh holy cat! I am speechless! Or, at least, type-less. And, well, popping him one should he try again would certainly set boundries…
I hate seeing the school numbers pop up. For one thing, I’m never certain which school it is. They’re not easily identified by ID name. So it’s hard to brace for what’s coming. Plus my kids can’t ever manage anything “normal” to get in trouble for. Okay, and I always feel a little guilty at first, as if, perhaps *I* have done something wrong!