They Look like Angels, Act like Devils

I was almost too embarrassed to write this blog, but after speaking to my neighbor Sara, who has three boys of her own, I realized I was not alone.

I’m not sure how many people get calls from their kid’s teachers, but both my kids poor behavior is drawing enough attention that I’ve already been called aside or called at home FOUR times, two times for each kid.

I knew Jack’s first day of school would be hard for his new teacher when he woke up early after a bad night of sleep. He already wasn’t listening well before school and I knew it would only go downhill from there. After school that day I asked the teacher how he did. She very diplomatically said, “It’s a hard transition. I normally wait two weeks to see how everyone settles in before talking to the parents.”

So really bad, but she’s holding her tongue for two weeks. But she couldn’t wait that long. Before the two weeks were over she was talking to me about Jack’s unwillingness to move from activity to activity. His contempt for authority. How he bucks against it even if it’s something he wants to do, just to be difficult.

Adam was quick to take up the problem. With a persistence rivaled only by Jack’s own he talked to him over and over again about behaving better. That and a well placed bribe did the trick. For the past three days he’s gotten the thumbs up from his teacher.

What do these two have in store for me?

Pick up today made me very happy, until I got a call from the councilor at Ben’s school. She wanted me to come in and talk to a team of people about an incident that happened today. Ben was playing outside the playground area and, when asked to come back, he refused, flopped on the ground and then bit his teacher on the leg.

The day before the teacher had asked me how to get him to stop flopping. I had no ideas, he does it to me all the time and I can’t stop it at all. I normally yell and scream then finally just chuck him over my shoulder.

So, this evening Adam started on Ben.

I felt bad that Adam had to deal with this right when he got home. Like his job isn’t stressful enough! I wish I had his energy and resolve to see these problems through. I wish I could figure out how to stamp out these problems without having to lean on him. But I feel very lucky to have such an involved, caring partner in all this. Someone to be strong so I can be weak.