Sentences

Yesterday was NOT an all smiley face day for one Mr. Alex.  In fact, yesterday was a day wrought with disrespect toward his teachers.  His teachers all pointed out that he was not an instigator in any of the "collective behavior incidents," but he was an active participant.  I was first told he was having a rough day by his teacher when I was in making copies for her.  And then I got a call from the office staff explaining that the boys involved in the "collective behavior incidents" were so out of control during the time the teachers were keeping them in from recess as a punishment, they had to be separated in the office.  And then I could hear him screaming during his time out at day care...while I was inside and he was outside.  And then I got to read over his daily behavior report and the incident report from the office, sign both and put them back in his folder.

Needless to say, I was not a happy Mama Bird.

While we were getting in the car to go home, he was whining that he didn't want to go home because it was going to be boring.  I quickly assured him it was by no means going to be boring.  Why?  Because he earned himself wall washing.  A friend of mine makes her daughter wash walls as a punishment and it was the only thing I could think of.  I can't just have him sit in a time out.  Doesn't do any good.  Wall washing it is.

But once we got home, I realized that would most likely cause more of a mess than anything, so I quickly changed my mind.  I told him to get one of his notebooks and come sit at the table.  And then I had him write, "I am sorry for yelling."  And as soon as he told me he was done, I said, "Write it again."  And when he was done with that one?  "Write it again."

There were a lot of tears and claims that it was too hard and taking too long.  But after about the 10th "Write it again." I think it made a dent.  After he finished that one, he asked if he could write a note to his gym teacher saying he was sorry for being disrespectful.  I let him only write that one once.