The Epic Adventure of Schooling Children. Alternate Title: You Thought Child Labor Was Illegal?
Posted by Heather in Uncategorized
In the continuing epic adventure of schooling children, I give you yet more chapters of my story titled, OH MY FUCKING HELL.
Chapter 88
Child Labor is NOT in the Past
On the 2nd day back to school after the holiday vacation, one of the 3rd grade teachers who adores Payton followed him to the van during afternoon pick up.
“I said hey to you today and you didn’t say hi back,” she said.
OH MY FUCKING HELL, will he ever learn appropriate social behavior? How many times have I talked to him about responding to greetings, even if he’s upset? 100 million times and a 1000 times more.
With the flair of a seasoned performer and flailing of his arms, Payton replied, “I was too stressed out!”
“What happened, Payton?” I asked.
“SCHOOL STRESSES ME OUT!”
Payton then told me how he took a test for the school’s gifted program but he couldn’t do it because “I WAS SO STARVING I WAS ABOUT TO DIE!”
OH MY FUCKING HELL, did he just screw up his chance to get into the program because of the hypoglycemia thing?
Is this Fail #2 on an IQ test? Gesh, I hope not. While I’m not too concerned about the intellectual benefit he would get from being in the gifted program (not that he wouldn’t benefit, just that we take care of his gifted education ourselves), I had hoped being in the gifted class would at least get him around intellectual peers for a change and help him socially.
You know, because I’m always looking for that magic moment that will *POOF!* make everything normal for Payton.
OH MY FUCKING HELL, will I ever learn to stop looking for that moment?
“Is that all that happened today?”
“No.”
“What else made you stressed?”
“Too much work!” he said.
“Well, I can’t really do much about the work. That’s just not something I can change and we have to learn to deal with it. What else do you think might make it less stressful?”
“Have more recess time.”
“Good idea! How much time do you get now?”
“20 minutes.”
“Hmm, that’s not very much. I think you should have more time too.”
“Yeah! It’s like I’m working in a factory. Work! Work! Work!”
Too true, my Way-Shower, much too true.
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LOL.
Poor P, but I tell you what Heather, he is so damn sharp witted. Definitely yours?
Definitely Yours. Period. not question mark. ugh.
too early.
I would like to agree with him, but my daughter only gets 10 minutes. You could just tell him that there are poor little children, maybe because they go to private school, only a couple of states away that get only 10 minutes of recess.
I have to protest your header, because it looks so good and I am craving one. What the hell, I am not a drinker and couldn’t have one if I wanted. Or could I. All I would have to do is go back to the 50′s where pregnant women waddled around with a ciggie dangling from their lips and a mixed drink in hand. The good ole days.
I tend to have the same problem as Payton when it comes to responding VERBALLY to people when they say hi. This especially happens when I am thinking about something (or trying to remember something), and I just kind of tune people out. I do seem to have an automatic smile when I see someone though, so maybe Payton could learn to just smile a greeting at everyone when he walks past, and that would help.
my kids are horrible when someone talks to them. and then sometimes men try to shake their hands and they get all limpy wrist and don’t know what to do. hate living in the south. who shakes a five year olds hand?
In some ways he lacks the filter that we all have. He says what he’s really thinking. I can’t agree more that 20 minutes isn’t long enough.
BTW, LOVE the phallic shaker on the new site now. Much better!
That is one smart kid.. takes after his dad? Nah.. obvious he takes after you..
I’m sorry he’s having such a hard time. He’d die here though. School in Belgium is a bitch.
That’s soooo much like my oldest…they are kindred spirits.
Still waitng for the POOF with her too.
Isn’t this whole “waiting for him to outgrow the social awkwardness” thing a little bit pot/kettle Heather? I’m just saying…
Maybe it’s time for Payton to start blogging.
My kid has social anxiety and he got accepted into the gifted program recently and I’ve noted some SERIOUS improvement, so really hon, it’s not far-fetched to still be awaiting that “moment” you’re talking about. I really hope he gets accepted this time!
Poor guy.
20 minutes isn’t a lot. Makes me think I should ask how much my kid is getting. 30 I think, but really I’m not positive. I know Shark’s lunch period is way too short. They can’t even talk to each other or they won’t have time to eat! I hate that.
20 minutes – to my mind – is really carp – and then they expect him to have scoffed his lunch AND applied to the gifted program within that time? Something doesn’t add up there – either they don’t really want to fund too many gifted placements (based on my experience with extra music in our school) OR they don’t understand kids – both of them quite scarey, hey?
unfortunately, 20 minutes ISN’T enough time… having taught first grade for 7 years, i can only say that most teachers tend to agree. but the people in charge never get input from the people who know. (*ahem- legislation)
it’s gotten worse with No Child Left Behind (don’t get me started). and basically, if it’s not on THE test, there’s no time for it.
i gave my kids a recess every day; even if it had to be in the classroom. i firmly believe they need some unstructured time to be, i dunno- KIDS… however, i taught w/ 2 teachers who felt the pressure of THE test, and their kids only went out sometimes.
equally sad is with the economy the way it is right now; i feel pretty sure they’re about to cut the arts out of school as well. (and continue to overcrowd the classes)
luckily for payton he has parents who are involved and engage him on your own. not every kid has that. should it always fall on you?? of course not. but kudos for taking care of it b/c the system is sh*tty.
TWENTY MINUTES? What the HELL? That isn’t much time at all! You get longer than that at an actual factory! Geeze!
He’s totally right. And you know what else? I remember always being hungry at school and it messing up my ability to concentrate. They didn’t give us enough snacking opportunities, and I say this in all seriousness.
I read the entry you linked to but I’ll comment here. I so wish I could have understood my son the way you do yours. I was so young and insecure and those experts always seemed so sure of themselves. I swung back and forth between letting him blaze his own path and trying to force him to adjust to the institutional norms. I wish I had some answers for you, but I think you’ll figure it out just fine. You’re tough.
Reading “20 minutes” made my heart twist up and hurt. School is f-ing inhumane. When does he have time to dream? Time for his very deep thoughts to germinate and grow? No wonder the poor guy is stressed. Twenty minutes?! Oy.
Seriously…cut the cord already and leap into homeschooling. You know you want to…