Be Specific Part II (and other Rookie Mom Mistakes)

From time to time, my oldest’s teachers pull me aside to share stories. I truly cherish these stories, and as such, I share them with you.

My oldest, since discovering his hands, has always had a fidget - something small that could be carried around for the day. The fidgets were never the same from day to day - one day a quarter, the next day a paper clip, a small toy, etc. Fidgets have always been a part of our lives, so we don’t question it. When my eldest started Kindergarten, I pulled the teacher (whom I had already worked with professionally so had the benefit of the doubt) aside to let her in on the fidget issue. She was supportive to a point...as am I. Some fidgets just aren’t appropriate. Once my cherub found an office rubber band - which I only discovered as it sailed past my head. Fidgets had limitations after that. It was time to be more specific.

A few weeks of Kindergarten passed, and my oldest’s teacher pulled me aside one day after school. She held her hand out and whispered while laughing “I need you to start frisking your child before school”. I look down at her hand and to my horror, see a sharp plastic molly (the cone shaped little numbers that you use to hold screws into the wall). Even more horrific - it looked like it might have been chewed on (in lieu of gum). From then on, each morning started with a pat down from Daddy that went like this.

Dad “Okay, raise your arms (pats child along torso). Good, turn around (pats down each leg). Show me your pockets and hands (child dutifully obeys and pulls pocket linings out). Okay - do you have anything sharp or pointy on your body (later we learned to add ‘or in your backpack’ to this interrogation (be more specific) - but that’s another story)?” Child shakes their head ‘no’. Daddy pats our little kindie on the butt and says “Have a good day!”. I usually had to walk away in the middle of this routine to stop laughing. Honestly, what other parent goes through this as a part of their morning routine? Get dressed, brush teeth, eat breakfast, frisk child.

Fast forward to first grade. Another fantastic teacher (I should mention that I also work at my child’s school, so I know these teachers well) has graciously agreed to help push my cherub to expand the length of their writing in their journal. During Spring Conference Week, she updated me on the progress. She began with what they were working on in reading and math, and dutifully shows me my cherub’s work. Then she brings out the writing journal my cherub has been working on. Each blank journal page had a blank space for drawing picture and seven or so lines for writing beneath. This is where the story gets funny.

The teacher shows me the first month or so of writing - each page had three very short sentences written on it. The teacher explains that she encouraged my cherub to write more one day by saying “I want you to go back to your desk and fill up the page”. Like most seven year old's, my cherub takes most things literally. SO, when the teacher told my cherub to go back and “fill up the page” my cherub did exactly as they were told...and wrote zero’s...over and over again for four of the seven lines. The teacher cracked a sheepish smile, and I teasingly said “That’s what we call a Rookie Mistake at my house”. Now she knows to be more specific too!!!