We have a very simple rule about taking toys to school, it is forbidden. There are exceptions made when there is a valid reason like pajama and stuffie day. That is the only case though and I must see it in writing from a teacher.
Otherwise I am not interested the grief that taking stuff from home to school causes for me and for the teachers. I have busted the boys a number of times sneaking things to school and a veriety of consequneces have been assigned.
Calvin got busted today with 2 stuffies in his backpack. I found out by accident and thought of a grand consequence. I drove him to the nearest charity drop off bin and had him put the 2 stuffies ( of no sentimental value, one was from a garage sale) into the bin. I told him that clearly he was not interested in keeping them because if he was taking them to school he was looking to have them lost or stolen so he must not be interested in having them.
He was pissed but silent.
We went into the store to get some groceries. He thought about having a tantrum as we walked through the grocery store but I talked him through and he moved on. I told him we would discuss it at home. I also told him that when we did talk about it I did not want hear "because I like too" as an answer to my questions because that tells me that you don't really want to talk about it.
He hates it when I know what he is going to say before he says it.
We came home, we talked, he said it is because he doesn't like the rule. We talked aobut why we have the rule. I offered to let him try taking a bouncy ball to school instead and he could see how he did with it ( tried last spring and it was a failure). He declined the ball saying he did not think it would be a good idea because other kids would want to take it and then they would fight over it.
Clearly he gets it but it is so much more fun to test out Mama and her resolve. I think this consequuence may of ended this testing period... but maybe not.
PS I have been summoned to Fudge's school for and meeting tomorrow and I can assure you that it not because of the grades on then report card that he just brought home. The comments on the other hand speak volumes, I'll keep ya posted.
5 comments:
We have the same rule, for the same reason. (Well, that and some of my kids have been thieves. I just don't want to keep track of stuff coming to OR from school.)
Ha! Us too. . .not to school. . .because that's here. . .but anywhere outside of the house. I don't want to have to figure out what's stolen!
And Butterfly and Armadillo just can't bring anything out of their bedrooms anyway becuase they are covered in bodily fluids.
If it goes where it shouldn't and I notice, it's trash. Period.
HA, I love the surprised/pissed off look when you bust a kids intentions. I get the growly stare with smooshed up eyebrows when I call out Genea on something she was going to do before she does it. HA HA, makes me laugh!
You go Mom! I love how you stuck to the rule and acted swiftly and then re-taught the lesson involved at a later calmer time. I am high fiving you from cyber space!
Same rule. Same reasons, plus the stealing like Corey. Consistently applied consequence is anything we catch you with goes straight to our charity box. Even with extreme consistency, it's an ongoing battle in our household spanning several years/grades now. We gotta give P points for persistence on this one! We go through stretches of compliance and then there will be repeated testing. We try to be as neutral and matter-of-fact (and emphathetic; this is the hardest one) in the delivery of the consequence and not lecture (also incredibly hard for me!). Done. Move on. This year, P's teacher has the same policy for all the kids -- anything she's outlawed from the classroom makes an appearance? she confiscates it and throws it in the trash. We applaud her!
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