A Better Day

Yesterday was a better one for the boy. No problems with “Mrs. Yell”. In fact, he referred to her by her actual name. I figure all of her students got the message regarding who’s in charge of the class; they lost in mass. Good for the teacher I say.

I was talking with the Dad last night and he was chuckling about the whole thing. He felt it a positive that the boy have a teacher who “makes them tow the line” as he put it. I actually agree with him. Most teachers I’ve met use lots of manipulation techniques to keep kids in line: combinations of appeasement and negotiation like threats of timeouts and rewards like extra recess time and such. I don’t see the harm in giving them a bit of good ol’ fashion bull headed “sit down and be quiet because that’s my way.” There’s more than a few employers who bring that kind of heat, kids should be exposed to it so they have some experience dealing with it. I’ll dip into my own experience and note that there were more than a few teachers like that back in my grade school experience, I managed just fine. I don’t see why this generation can’t manage similarly.

But enough about all that. I also wanted to mention that the boy did something very gracious yesterday. It was my birthday and he and the lass made me cards. The boy’s card even included a handmade envelope, all taped up. Inside the card he made me was a one dollar bill. He actually took the money out of his own piggy bank to give me as a gift.

I thanked him for it but refused as I’m pretty sure parental etiquette requires me to do. But he insisted, so rather than fight it out then, I let it be. The Wife discussed it with him a bit later and he told her he just wanted to give me some money to help “pay the bills and stuff.” The Wife explained that was very nice of him but Mom and Dad worry about the bills for now, not him. She further explained that his piggy bank money is money for him to spend on himself. After that, he took his dollar back.

I’ll have to find some other way to pay the bills now.