Not Always a Cream Puff Job

When my older daughter was in kindergarten, she had a friend who's mom didn't work. The mom used to work at Microsoft, but as she was married to a lawyer, she quit work once she had her daughter. Her only child. So, once the kid started school, she had the whole day to herself. Let's see...she took ballet lessons, and she rode her horse that she leased. I'm not quite sure what else she did to fill the days. But I do remember once telling her about my job. At that time, I was working half-time, teaching an elementary gifted program. I saw kids twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and then worked half a day Wednesday without seeing kids. She told me I had a "cream puff job." This coming from a gal who hadn't worked out of the home in 6+ years? Anyway...

The job isn't always a cream puff job, even though I usually share the humorous things. But take Jack's little episode that occured the other day. Jack has a tendency to refuse to do what an adult says. He has pulled this on me in the past, but as I didn't let him get away with it, he really doesn't pull it with me anymore. He has refused a sub's direction, a para-educator's direction, and has refused to follow directions given to him by the music and/or pe teacher.

But the other day, he refused my directions. I walked by his desk during a work time during math. Jack was just sitting there. Not doing his work. "Jack," I said, "Get to work." He just sat. I stopped. "Jack," I said again. "I gave directions for completing your math. Get to work now."

Jack did as he usually does when he gets in trouble: he hunched down and pulled his jacket over his head to hide his face. I knelt down. "Jack," I said. "You have two choices. You can sit up and do your math, or I will write you a white slip, and you can work on your math in the office." He remained hidden. "Jack," I continued, aggravation beginning to slip into my voice, "Make a decision now." Jack began to cry.

"Jack, cut out the crying. You are in 5th grade. Now sit up and do your math. I am going to help some other students, and when I come back, I want to see some completed problems in your spiral." I walked to a student a few desks down who needed some help. While I was helping her, I began to hear Jack kicking his desk. I ignored him. Then from the corner of my eye I saw a movement come from his direction. I glanced up, didn't see him, and for a moment I thought he had ran out. But no. He was now hiding under his desk. This was a new one. I had never seen him do this, but apparently he did it a lot last year.

I got down again to his level, or almost, since he was under a desk. Through gritted teeth, I growled, "Get UP!" (When I told this to my daughter, she said that's exactly how I sound when I tell them to get up in the morning. But I digress...)

He did have enough sense to get up. "Come with me," I said, and went into the hall without looking back at him. Once in the hall, I turned to him. "Don't you ever kick a desk or even think of hiding underneath a desk AGAIN! This is not kindergarten, and that is not acceptable behavior for a 5th grader! The next time you do that, if you should have the bad judgement to choose to do it, I will send you to the office quicker that you will believe!" Or it was something like that. "Now," I continued. "You will go back into the room, and do your math."

We returned to the room. Jack sat at his desk. And Jack did his math. Later at lunchtime he gave me some of his candy.

Cream puff job? Oy, vey!