Ask anyone who knows me, and they will tell you that I never miss school. It's just easier to go than to try and catch up upon returning. Well, yesterday and today were my fourth and fifth sick days this year...and we are not yet one fourth of the way through. I still have 148 sick days left, but still, that pile that awaits me tomorrow just fills me with a sense of dread.
These last two days I was out for medical testing. You don't want to know the specifics. Just suffice it to say I would RATHER have been at school, I'm very glad it's all over, and it all turned out well.
I didn't get to eat for 36 hours and I was not pleasant to be around. I rarely am when I am dieting, so when I can't eat at all, I'm a real beast. Not being able to drink water sucks, too. Just makes you want it all the more.
Enough of my medical issues.
My child who moved in a few weeks ago moved on to another school. Good. He was a discipline problem and his mother was never happy with anyone or anything, and it was NEVER her child's fault. I kindly pointed that out to her during an ARC, and they moved shortly thereafter. She butted heads with the principal, too. She did not have nice things to say about her child's previous school, but I have a feeling their side of the story would differ greatly from hers. Oh well, I wish him well...as long as he stays somewhere else.
I made a mother cry on Friday. She called to report her child was being picked on. I was fortunate to have witnessed one of the incidents she cited, so I had to kindly explain to her that her little darling was as guilty as the other child. After a few moments of deafening silence, I said, "I can tell you are not happy with what I am saying." She went on to tell me that regardless of what I was seeing now, it had always been totally the other child in previous years. She wound up crying and hanging up on me. After I informed the principal of the situation and calmed down myself, I thought about what to do. I took both children out in the hall separately and told them they were NOT to so much as look in the direction of the other. I also moved them apart, against my better judgment, because they both needed to be up front where I had them for various reasons. I wound up leaving the mom a voicemail telling her that I had talked to both children, moved her child, informed the principal, etc. I told her I felt the problem had been dealt with, but she could contact me or the principal if she felt the need to do so. I feel like I made an enemy, but I refuse to sugar coat the issue--she cannot blame everything on someone else when I have SEEN her child with my own eyes doing exactly what she is accusing the other child of doing. The blame must be shared. She even accused the other kid of kicking in a bathroom stall while her child was sitting in it. Now my kids tattle about everything, and not one child mentioned that to me--including her child.
She practically ruined my weekend. I just hate it when there are parent problems. I have been lucky the last few years to not have many, but this may be the year I make up for it. I try to accomodate parent wishes whenever I can, but this one just hit me wrong. Anyway...it is what it is. She's really not going to be happy when she sees his progress report and finds that he also does not listen, does not follow rules or directions, and does not accept responsibility for his behavior. Most of these were discussed during our aforementioned conversation, but I am sure seeing them in print will make her very happy. NOT!
Why can't kids just get along?????????????????
5 days ago
2 comments:
This is really interesting. My son has had a couple of run-ins with "the school bully," and I finally decided to try to get in touch with the other boy's parents. Of course I was unhappy that this kid was abusive towards my boy, but one of the first things I wanted to know was, what did *my* boy do during these altercations? He's a good boy, and I didn't think that he was behaving badly, but I have seen rough housing turn into a fight on more than one occassion. It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye, right? :)
So in calling the teacher to try to make contact with the parents, I learned the boy is a regular problem and these altercatoins were not provoked on the part of my son - whew!
I guess the bottom line, as good and wonderful I think my boy is, there are always two sides to the story.
Learned helplessness and parents trying to find ways not to deal with the messy aspects of parents is more prevalent now than ever. With respect to the former, parents think they are making their children's lives easier and better by intervening on their behalf, and doing "it" for them. With respect to the latter, many parents don't want to have to deal with the meltdowns, the setting of parameters and expectations, and therefore shift this aspect of parenting to the school. No wonder so many of us teachers are so tired and worn-out at the end of the day.
Post a Comment