"Raising kids is part joy and part guerilla warfare." ~Ed Asner
Why does it tear me up everytime Rhyan does not get a perfect day report? Is this going to last until he graduates from high school?
Last week, a teacher on the playground told him not to take another kid's toy away. His response: "Don't tell me that." His "back talk" landed him a stint on the bench. And it was folllowed by lots of crying, snotting and near-vomiting antics according to the teacher who I really adore so I know she wasn't exaggerating. I made him go apologize to her once I got the report. The next day's report: he was disruptive during praise and worship and after nap time he was generally irritable and snatched a paper towel from another boy in the restroom. As I made my way over to Rhyan, one of the little boys asked, "are you going to spank him?" How can I be a disciplinarian when I wanted to bust up laughing? Perhaps Rhyan felt this vibe because my attempts to get him to apologize were met with lots of crying and hyper-ventilating.
Now the behavior is really nothing to be alarmed about...I mean he's three years old for goodness sake! But I still feel like it's an indictment against my parenting. And sometimes I feel like a downright fraud when I'm trying to discipline him. I mean, half the time I don't even feel qualified to parent.
Last month, I requested a parent-teacher conference with the school directors and Rhyan's teachers because all of a sudden he was getting into trouble every day. Not that I think my kid is perfect--but it was very uncharacteristic. Boy, I was nervous wreck going into that meeting. I felt like an elementary school kid on the way to the principal's office..all shaky and stomach topsy turvy--not that I know that feeling at all! *wink* Who the heck am I to be going to a parent-teacher meeting? In the end it all worked out and his behavior has taken an upswing thanks to some advice from the director for the teachers to take a different approach to what she called my "very smart and strong-willed child."
Sometimes you have to put on the big adult parenting hat--even when you don't feel like it and last week was definitely one of those Calgon-take-me-away weeks.
On a much sweeter note. Rhyan met his newly-born cousin Ian on Easter. He was so gentle and very interested in the baby. But I think he confused the baby's wide eyes for wonderment over his Mavis train. A cute sight to behold!
Side-note: This blog is now accessible via its own domain name at www.nonsuperwomanchronicles.com :-)