My Lovable Reader Spencer...how do you get mad at this face?

So while we're on the subject of reading:

*This kid loves.. no wait... can't live without reading as you can probably figure from this photo. Notice in the picture his large stack of books as he reads by the dim light in the hallway at Grandma & Grandpa's house. 

*Spencer & Kaylea enjoy coming to "Grandma's Library" & see what kind of books they can find there. Spence has discovered all of Uncle Phylip's awesome book collection of Goosebump books. He can read a decent sized chapter book in minutes...way faster than his Mom.

*Spencer really is just one big sponge who soaks up everything taught to him. He is a great student and just a good kid all around. Teachers love him, fellow students love him. Heck when I come into his classroom I am practically a celebrity because I am "Spencer's Mom!"

*So here's why I'm telling this story: (mainly for journaling purposes)

This really has nothing to do with reading but just the fact that he is a teacher's dream...well except for one playground's aid that is.....read on...

~I recently went to help out in Spencer's class and as I got there the kids were all coming in from recess...well all except for Spence & 2 other boys. About a minute later in they walk along with this BIG, GrUmPy "playground aid." She put one of her hands on her large hips with the other one holding her extremely important clipboard. Then she proceeded to talk louder than I thought humanly possible as she said:   "Mr. 'B', Here are three boys who were out on the playground recklessly playing in the mud...and that is JUST Unacceptable!...They will be receiving a ticket & will sit against the wall at lunch recess!" (Sounded a lot harsher in real life.) If this obnoxious woman only would've known this "boy's" mom was standing right there, maybe she would have had a different tone...?

*I tried to hold myself back from running over and body slamming this power hungry woman. (Told you I'm feisty when I'm pregnant!) I mean c'mon okay get them in trouble but do you have to yell as if they had been punching Kindergartners or something? You could just sense that minutes before she had blown that shiny whistle around her neck outside on the playground and probably had an adrenaline rush doing so. 

*I looked over at my son and saw the tears welling up in his eyes. I could tell he had a lump in his throat and was trying so hard not to cry. (Hopefully he was thinking 'Wow my mom is so nice-even when I get in trouble at home she doesn't act like this...') Actually I know he was really thinking: 'Of all times to get in trouble..& now when MY Mom is Here!'

*Anyhow the lady left & Mr. 'B' calmly asked each boy what had happened. The other two boys said Yes they were playing with sticks in the mud. (big whoop!) Then Spencer after fighting back tears, the throat lump and quivery lip answered with his shaky voice saying: "I didn't know I had walked in it until she yelled at me." Uh Oh -there it went. His face turned red and then the tear became almost visible. He had almost made it. He wiped his eye as if there was an eyelash in it...remember trying to pull that one off?

*Then something special happened: One by one hands went up all over the classroom. Mr. B called on 3 of them and they all said things like: "Spencer didn't try to get in the mud." OR "it was an accident"....etc. It was so sweet that then I got a lump in my throat. You see who Spencer gets his sensitivity & emotions from?

*The teacher (Mr. B) handled it well but said since he wasn't there to see what happened, he still had to enforce the consequence. Spencer was still obviously upset & embarrassed & probably just in shock that HE was getting a ticket! After a little bit I snuck over to Spencer's seat in the back row, squatted down and I whispered in his ear that I know he didn't try to break the rules; And he wasn't in trouble in my book. I told him to just serve out his punishment and not let it ruin his day. I kissed him on the cheek when no one was looking and left.

*Well he came home happy as usual and said he was fine the rest of the day. And for the record I think it was a good experience for him to toughen him up a bit but c'mon none of us want to be told we've messed up especially when we didn't try to.

~Audra's Tidbit of The Day~

So my discipline theory is this: 

Definitely give kids consequences when they do break the rules or disobey! .....But ALSO I think that:

If we tell a kid or even imply that HE IS BAD...Then He WILL be BAD! Heck they're just living up to what we've already pronounced them to be. We can say "you did a naughty/bad thing" but should NEVER say "You ARE bad/naughty!" ....okay getting off my soapbox now....

(Thanks Mom...I think that theory has worked out pretty good!)

**Here's a great example of a friend of mine who showed great patience with a "naughty child."