Thursday, February 19, 2009
A better day today
Last night, we had lots and lots of talks with Garrett about how he needed to be a good boy and listen to ALL his teachers. For some reason, he thinks it's okay to shake his fist in anger and point his finger and shoot the two teachers he doesn't like. Papa did a good job explaining that his teachers are not his friends, but rather they're there to teach him and make him smart. At one point, I started to cry. The thought of him possibly getting suspended really got to me. Today, before getting on the bus, he promised to listen to Mrs. Clouse and Mrs. H. And I'm proud to say he was good for his word. Mrs. Clouse said he was really good and kept telling her that he wanted to listen. That just makes my heart swell. Here's a picture of him having a happy moment with his "girlfriend" Teagan. It was Teagan's birthday party and it was at Chuck E. Cheese, no less. Both Garrett and Teagan are from the same baby house in Uralsk.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
14 comments:
Oh boy Karen. I'm glad to hear he had a better day today now that he knows the boundaries. He has more than the usual kid to get frustrated about but like all of us needs to learn better ways of expressing it and sounds like you and Bob and the school are doing a good job of guiding him in the right direction.
How old is Tegan?
yay, way to go Garrett! You are such a great Mom! It's sad that you can't be a "fly on the wall" & see what is going on in his class. It sucks to just take the teachers word for things & not know if he just loses it or if something triggers him. One thing I forgot to say in the other comment-I do feel that meds have their place in helping a child, I truly do. BUT it really pisses me off when teachers seemingly want to medicate a child to make THEIR job easier. When perhaps they should think outside the box for that CHILD. I better stop while I'm ahead. LOL :)
Karen,
When my twin boys were hs freshmen, they hacked into their school's computer network. We pretty much had to beg the principal to let them stay in school. They weren't allowed to use any school computers for the rest of the school year and had to go to the public library to use any computers at all. It was a tough year for all of us.
Now they're both computer science students at DePaul and the University of Illinois.
So, things do work out. It may take a while. Look how long it took Bob to straighten up.
I am so glad to read this! Sounds like your little man desperately wants to please his mama, but sometmes his frustration gets the best of him. You are doing amazing- all of you.
Hi, I've been thinking about your family and sending silent good wishes. I'm so glad to read your post. Hang in there. It's so obvious that you dearly love Garrett and are a wonderful mother and family. Just experiencing some tough time. Take care, Susan
So good to hear. Sometimes kids test their situation. I am sure your talk made a big impact on Garret. I had a situation with Karina and hitting at school - she hit a child one day in a fight over a toy, had a talking to, then the next day hauled off and slapped a child on the face, another talking to by the head teacher....I talked to her about it for around three weeks...i started by telling her if she continued to hit the teachers might tell her she couldn't come back to school and play...then before each drop off, usually in the car ride to school we would talk about not hitting, I did that every day for around two weeks to reinforce the longer talks and it has worked. I think short talks on the way to school about how to behave will help...I make Karina repeat back to me, I promise to not hit anyone at school today...that sort of thing.
I am so glad that Garrett had a better day:) I have been thinking about ya'll alot since reading the last post.
Maybe Garrett feels some frustration & doesn't know how to express it? My nephew is 5 & he has been acting out of control with temper tantrums. (He told us that everyone bosses him around & he has no one to boss around.) We are spending lots of time praising him when he does act correctly even if it is something small & he has shown some improvement. Talking with him about his feelings have helped also. Have you asked him if something is making him feel angry at school? Children can be mean.
I think it is a little harsh to expel him from Kindergarten. It sounds like he really wants to please you so that is a good sign.
Stay strong!!!!!
Glad to know things are getting alittle better. Very upsetting stuff indeed. You guys are doing great - all the talks and helping him learn what behaviors are acceptable, etc. And that photo. INCREDIBLE. Aren't Kaz kids GORGEOUS? (not to be shallow or anything)
Karen, I'm so happy to see that Garrett listened and took what was said to him to heart. He does sound as if he were frustrated and became angry. You and Bob are such a positive influence on him.
I love the photo of his happy moment and his "girlfriend!" Cute!
Eileen
i am so glad he had a better day too! some kids just have tempers...and it's hard to get them in check sometimes. Plus, boys seem to turn everything into a gun. I hate guns, and sean would turn legos into guns....i don't think Garrett really understood what he was doing-he was just pissed off and annoyed.
Sean has a temper too-and I know MANY MANY boys who also do-and we, as parents, just have to help them channel it in the right way.
you are SUCH WONDERFUL PARENTS-truly-and I know Garrett is going be just fine because he has you guys as his advocate. :)
Glad that he had a better day. I think kids just need to learn what behavior is correct and what behavior is not. And how to deal with their emotions - which seems to be a tough one. It sounds like Garrett is a very good boy deep down - and his teachers should recognize that he might need extra guidance anyway since he didn't have parents until just recently (and probably no role models).
So happy to hear that Garrett had a better day!
So happy to hear that Garrett had a better day and I am always in awe when I read how you handle situations--like I said before, someday I will be all over you for advice because I want to do it like you.
Great job Garrett understanding a hard lesson. Its interesting though, I wonder if he would have found it OK to treat his previous Mamas that way? Not something you'd want to ask to stirr up old feelings... but interesting how it could possibly be so so different here.
Andrey has recently started getting aggressive and hitting me in public, at school, in church with no shame... and I don't feel I can do much about it in public- its so embarrising. today he gave me a black eye while at KFC. I carried him right out to the car for a TO there.
I think about you guys a lot.
Post a Comment