My Brayden cannot help himself--he is the town crier and it isn't because he wants to be a snitch. He is a cross between Peter Brady (or was it Bobby? It was definitely Bobby) as the crossing guard and Sheldon Cooper as...Sheldon Cooper.
The thing is, my Brayden is a rule follower. Unless they are my rules--then he becomes the negotiator, but that's for a different day. Being a rule follower doesn't make you the most popular friend in any grade, but it is especially frowned upon in the younger grades. Unfortunately, Brayden has done this since he was two. He would toddle around finding injustices and blatant-rule-disregarders (it's a thing) and report to me so that I could take action.
Examples?
"Grandma is wearing her shoes in the house! Grandma, you aren't supposed to wear shoes in the house!"
"Grandpa didn't finish all of his dinner and he is eating dessert. Grandpa, if you're not hungry for dinner then you're not hungry for dessert!"
Because of his track record, this story did not surprise me:
"Mom--J'ron was mean to me today."
"Really? Why would he be mean to you?"
"I don't know--I told him on the way to school that he needed to put his seat belt on and he said he didn't have to, so I told him that if he didn't I would have to tell the bus driver."
"?!"
"...he told me it was none of my business and he didn't need a seat belt, but I know that you do need to wear a seat belt to be safe, so I told the bus driver and she told him that if he doesn't wear it from now on he will be in trouble. THEN he was mean to me all day!
"Really? And you can't think of any reason why he might be upset with you?"
"No. And when he got on the bus and in his seat he held up his seat belt and said, 'Are you happy?!' in a really mean voice and then he wouldn't talk to me."
"And you really have no idea why?"
"Nope."
"Maybe you should go in tomorrow and tell him that you didn't mean for him to get in trouble, you were just concerned about his safety."
"Well, I kind of did want him to get in trouble because that seems to be the only way he will learn."
He may not have any friends, but his classmates will be the safest group of children ever--whether they like it or not!
The thing is, my Brayden is a rule follower. Unless they are my rules--then he becomes the negotiator, but that's for a different day. Being a rule follower doesn't make you the most popular friend in any grade, but it is especially frowned upon in the younger grades. Unfortunately, Brayden has done this since he was two. He would toddle around finding injustices and blatant-rule-disregarders (it's a thing) and report to me so that I could take action.
Examples?
"Grandma is wearing her shoes in the house! Grandma, you aren't supposed to wear shoes in the house!"
"Grandpa didn't finish all of his dinner and he is eating dessert. Grandpa, if you're not hungry for dinner then you're not hungry for dessert!"
Because of his track record, this story did not surprise me:
"Mom--J'ron was mean to me today."
"Really? Why would he be mean to you?"
"I don't know--I told him on the way to school that he needed to put his seat belt on and he said he didn't have to, so I told him that if he didn't I would have to tell the bus driver."
"?!"
"...he told me it was none of my business and he didn't need a seat belt, but I know that you do need to wear a seat belt to be safe, so I told the bus driver and she told him that if he doesn't wear it from now on he will be in trouble. THEN he was mean to me all day!
"Really? And you can't think of any reason why he might be upset with you?"
"No. And when he got on the bus and in his seat he held up his seat belt and said, 'Are you happy?!' in a really mean voice and then he wouldn't talk to me."
"And you really have no idea why?"
"Nope."
"Maybe you should go in tomorrow and tell him that you didn't mean for him to get in trouble, you were just concerned about his safety."
"Well, I kind of did want him to get in trouble because that seems to be the only way he will learn."
He may not have any friends, but his classmates will be the safest group of children ever--whether they like it or not!
If nothing else, the boy fully understands your parenting philosophy! You scold them, because it's the only way he'll learn! :) Very cute...
ReplyDeleteI am going to cling to that--THANK YOU!
DeleteI can't believe you are old enough to throw in a Brady Bunch reference. That is my all time favorite show. And yes, Bobby was the crossing guard.
ReplyDeleteThanks for confirming! I couldn't possibly research it (I am THAT lazy!) and my brain starts to hurt if I try to push it too hard! It's good to see that I am not the only old person on here--not that YOU are old...;O)
Deletehahaha! my oldest hates blatant-rule-disregarders too.. (I agree--it IS a thing..) maybe they could be friends? No.. probably not.. nevermind. :)
ReplyDeleteI think they would get along SOOOO well...until they didn't...;o)
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