Mean?
Today I was at the required parenting class (thankfully we only have ONE MORE!!!) and we were talking about whether your kid is ready for kindergarten or not. Anyway, I was talking with this one mom during the break who was worried if her kid would be "ready" or not. (Her daughter wont turn 5 until late November). Anyway, I've observed the pre-K class on more than one occasion and feel her daughter would be just fine. This led to a discussion about other kid's personalities, etc., and I was telling this mom about how I've been trying to work with Emma on her emotional responses to different situations. (Everything for Emma is a level 10 response. She melts down at the tiniest issue) Anyway, this OTHER mom chimed in and said, "Well, Emma can be really mean sometimes." WHAT?! MY kid... MEAN? Okay, now Emma has been called lots of things, but never mean. I've seen her in class and social settings, and I've never seen her act mean. I asked this Mom to give me examples of when she witnessed Emma being mean because being "mean" is NOT okay with me. So she gave me an example. Is this "mean" to you?
After playing with animals, the kids where told to put them away. Emma complied, as did the other children, except for 1. Emma pointed out to the teacher that said child still had an animal. (I'm sure she was using her annoying whiney voice). That was situation #1. (Oh, and "said child" was not the observing Mom's kid) I don't think I'd qualify this as "MEAN" behavior on Emma's part. Tattling on a kid for not following the rules is pretty much on par for being a five year old, no?
I took this in, and asked for another example. (I did not say I didn't think that was mean) She said Emma pushed other kids. WHAT?! Well that is SO not okay with me! I asked what happened when she saw this. And the Mom said, "The kids where sitting in circle time, and Emma started poking the kid's feet who was sitting next to her." Okay. Well... again, I don't think I'd call this "mean", I think annoying, and if THAT'S pushing, then hell, I've been beaten to a pulp.
I told the Mom to please point out to the teacher any inappropriate behavior that Emma shows during times she observes the class. When I said this, I put my left hand on her right arm. And the Mom said, "See! That's where she must get it. You just touched me." Okaaaay...? What the hell?
I apologized to her if I offended her for "touching her arm".
I then asked Emma's teachers if they'd ever observed her being mean. The said no, that she's usually the first kid to check on another kid who gets hurt, etc, and that she'll go over to a kid playing by themselves and ask if they want to play with her. They did mention that she'll poke kids when she gets bored during circle time, and I told them to continue to work with her on stopping that and that'd I'd also talk to her about it.
I feel better. But Damn. I hate that this Mom thinks Emma is mean.
After playing with animals, the kids where told to put them away. Emma complied, as did the other children, except for 1. Emma pointed out to the teacher that said child still had an animal. (I'm sure she was using her annoying whiney voice). That was situation #1. (Oh, and "said child" was not the observing Mom's kid) I don't think I'd qualify this as "MEAN" behavior on Emma's part. Tattling on a kid for not following the rules is pretty much on par for being a five year old, no?
I took this in, and asked for another example. (I did not say I didn't think that was mean) She said Emma pushed other kids. WHAT?! Well that is SO not okay with me! I asked what happened when she saw this. And the Mom said, "The kids where sitting in circle time, and Emma started poking the kid's feet who was sitting next to her." Okay. Well... again, I don't think I'd call this "mean", I think annoying, and if THAT'S pushing, then hell, I've been beaten to a pulp.
I told the Mom to please point out to the teacher any inappropriate behavior that Emma shows during times she observes the class. When I said this, I put my left hand on her right arm. And the Mom said, "See! That's where she must get it. You just touched me." Okaaaay...? What the hell?
I apologized to her if I offended her for "touching her arm".
I then asked Emma's teachers if they'd ever observed her being mean. The said no, that she's usually the first kid to check on another kid who gets hurt, etc, and that she'll go over to a kid playing by themselves and ask if they want to play with her. They did mention that she'll poke kids when she gets bored during circle time, and I told them to continue to work with her on stopping that and that'd I'd also talk to her about it.
I feel better. But Damn. I hate that this Mom thinks Emma is mean.
posted by Ramblings of a crazed SAHM at 2:40 PM
3 Comments:
I LOLed when I got to the part where she called you out for touching her arm. WTH? Don't fret for one second over what this woman thinks about Emma. She's off her rocker.
That mom sounds like a psycho. Does she think her kids don't do the same things???
Crazy woman, that. Consider the source.
She thinks YOU'RE out of line for touching her arm? You're not even touchy-feely.
She'd probably think Alice was a psychopath.
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