Proud momma....mostly.

So the last week or so has been mixed emotions. My daughter got in trouble at school. The same day, my son got in trouble at school. The same day, my other son got a letter that he was getting tested for the gifted program at school. He has also been reading complete books to me - with no help. He's 6.

Story #1....

My daughter is at school, and a boy (I won't name names, as this is a completely public forum) was suspended from school for 'sexual harrassment'. I have no idea the details - don't care. My daughter and her friends are sitting in the hallway between classes, and this mother comes in the school screaming and cussing, and raising hell about her son being in trouble. She heads to his locker to get his things, and (they are sitting in front of his locker, evidently) she walks up and SCREAMS, "Get the F--- out of my way, NOW!" My daughter and her friends jump up and move. Friend says, "Wow! What a bitch!" and my daughter answers with, "We weren't sitting there trying to be bitchy - wait, I should say 'hateful'. We weren't trying to be hateful!" By this time the mom is walking away and turns around - mind you, she's an ADULT - and GETS IN MY DAUGHTER'S FACE and SCREAMS, "I HEARD WHAT YOU SAID, CHRISTINE! You called me a bitch, and I'm turning you in!" KrysteenA answers with, "I didn't call you that, I was trying to explain to you that we weren't sitting there to be bitchy, I even changed it to hateful b/c I shouldn't have cussed - I NEVER called you a name!" The parent then proceeds to cuss out my daughter and goes to the principal to 'turn her in'. After hearing my daughter's side of the story - and the parent's story (who said she asked them to move NICELY, and they wouldn't for like several minutes) the principal went to review the tapes. The story I've just told was verified - it is exactly like that on the tapes. My daughter NEVER cussed at this woman, and they were NOT being hateful to her, and this woman dropped f-bombs and was completely innappropriate with these kids.

What is the outcome?, you ask??? They gave my daughter lunch detention, and told her she had to write a letter of apology to this woman. Yes, yes, I know you're thinking, W.T.F!!!??? After hearing the entire story, I told my daughter she would NEVER write that letter. She said, "Well, maybe I should apologize to the principal and the Ast. Principal for using bad language at school? I was impressed - it was a great compromise. My husband called and talked to one of them - and he thought it was a better 'punishment'. I have a word of advice for the 'parent' (I use that term loosely) - if you EVER go to my daughter's school again, and get in her face - as an adult - you'll come to understand quickly that it is unacceptable, and I WILL get in your face. I'm a momma bear, and I will act like one. You're lucky I've raised my daughter to be more respectful of adults. AND, if ANYONE owes ANYONE an apology - it's YOU to HER for doing what you did. It's on VIDEO how you behaved. And a word of advice to the school - if my daughter is ever accosted at school again, we will be there, voicing our disgust at the way this was handled. You should be ashamed of yourselves for allowing a parent to attack children in your hallways.

Story #2...

THEN - I get a phone call from the Ast. Principal in the middle school. My eldest son got in a fight at school. I am not making excuses for him - he was wrong, he admitted it, he apologized - took his punishment (suspended one day) and is now friends (again) with the other boy - but I'm am again upset with the school. These middle school boys - many of whom are picked on and bullied on a daily basis - are left ALONE in the gym before and after PE class. The coach just disappears and leaves them unsupervised. What started as fun and playing around led to a fight - completely uncalled for - but had there been a teacher around, it would have ended WAY BEFORE it ever came to that. And to top off my irritation with the school - the Ast. Principal told me it started over a 'Jimmy Johnson" toy....and "I assure you, I've made it perfectly clear to these boys that ANYTHING Jimmy Johnson or Jeff Gordon is NOT allowed in MY school building". Yeah....NOT impressed with your idiocy. You are an adult, and I really don't give two shits what 'NASCAR driver' you like or don't like - GROW UP and DO YOUR JOB.

Kent and I spoke with Tristan about the entire situation - let me say that Tristan has been bullied and picked on all year, and we've been working with the principal - who has the Ast. Principal deal with it - and nothing is helping. The Ast. Principal is telling the bullies to quit picking on him, and then they jump him for telling on them. Well, what do we do then? When THEY put their hands on MY son - nothing. None of them got in trouble. MY son gets in a scuffle and he's suspended. He FINALLY stands up and doesn't back down, and he's punished. I realize the boy he fought with is NOT one of the original 'bullies', but Tristan felt like if he fought him, he'd 'earn some respect' from the other boys. Again - NO SUPERVISION and GUIDANCE during this class. WHERE WAS THE COACH????

Tristan was most upset b/c he knew he had let us down, and was really upset about that. Ashamed also b/c he knew his CAT teacher was going to be disappointed. (the other boy is also in the gifted program in her class). She spoke with them today - and all is good with THEM. The administrators promised her they would deal with the supervision problem as well. She knew about the fight b/c she found a note on her desk that afternoon that one of the other boys in class wrote. It said, "It's me, (insert name), Tristan and (insert name) are fighting - came to get you for help" So, Tristan is back at school, Mrs. Wood dealt with them, they've all mended fences, and I've been assured that supervision will be corrected. I'm not proud of Tristan for fighting, but I AM proud that he admitted he was wrong, apologized, and took the punishment. He also returned to school knowing there were boys who threatened to 'pay him back' and he's been the model kid all week while being grounded - doing chores, offering to help around the house, and helping momma out! Reminder - one little screw-up shouldn't ruin someone's whole week/month/year. They need to know you still love them, even if they do mess up. ESPECIALLY when they mess up - so they'll have a reason to fix it, and not do it again!

Story #3...

Rogan got a note that day, announcing his testing for CAT was beginning this week. He said it was 'too long' and 'boring mostly'. He didn't want to do it until Mrs. Clary (sp?) said, "Rogan, won't your parents be excited and proud to know you did your VERY BEST on this test?" and he perked right up, and really started trying. THEN - tonight, he gets out "Green Eggs and Ham" and reads the ENTIRE book to me, with NO HELP. I am so impressed with that little man - none of the kids ever read that well at his age (6). He also said, "I'm almost ready to read Harry Potter now!" HA HA HA!!! I'm so very proud of that! THAT was the books that FINALLY got Avery interested in reading - and he's read them ALL at least a dozen times!

Avery has been good all week. No problems at school, no complaints. He did come to me upset b/c he got a C+ on his science test. He only missed, roughly, two weeks of school between ice and sickness - so that's actually pretty good given it was all material from when he was gone! He was just upset b/c he's never gotten anything other than A's. I explained that if THIS is the worst it can be for him, I'm HAPPY with that! ;) HA!

School has been fun this week. Fun and frustrating. I've learned that "What if...?" is the WORST QUESTION IN THE WORLD for a criminology class. And there are a couple people in my classes who LOVE to distract the professors with that question. For the love of God - PLEASE - save your questions for break or after class. I want to learn the material!! This is my life - my career - and it's important to me!

Sooooooooo...........that's what's up with me. BTW, does anyone want to take Krysteena prom dress shopping? We don't 'shop' well together, and I can't imagine it will go good. I love her, will watch Criminal Minds with her, will color hair, talk about her day, joke around, etc....but I don't enjoy the shopping time. Hoping Aunt Gina will do it while we're in St. Louis for Spring Break. *crosses fingers*

Later peeps!

~ Misty