Teacher's Pet (Wolf)

Okay, here is my not-so-secret hope: that I am not the only mother in the world that gets notes from schools like the ones that regularly come home with Alex. Examples include entries such as, "Followed school rules? No, was talking during quiet time. Following directions today? did not, was howling when the teacher explained them, Stayed on task/finished work? No, was too busy talking" and "Sat on friend's head while he was trying to get something from cubby!" As far as we can tell from our interrogations most of these things were done because it seemed funny at the time. The stern parental response would work better if Alex's father was not snorting beside me when I read the riot act to the kid. When I argue that it's not funny, Art replies, "Yes, it is." See what I have to live with, people?

We are 3 stars away (on our behavior chart) to either a trip to Chuck E. Cheese's or a new Nintendo DS game. We've been working on the same chart for weeks. He has to get 3 out of 3 check marks from his teacher and a star at after school care to earn one. We may never finish. Earlier this week when I checked him out after school they told me that he'd earned EXTRA stars for being so helpful. Really? Are you sure you know him - curly-headed kid, about 4 feet tall? They just laughed. We had a close call last week and almost got a 3 out of 3, but the teachers went in and changed one with just half an hour left in the day. Missed it by that much. Alex did have to go home sick one day last week right around lunch time. As we drove home he said, I got all 3 stickers on my chart. I pointed out that people who may or may not have fever and are moaning with a stomach ache rarely misbehave.

If I haven't mentioned it lately (and I definitely haven't done it enough) - Alex has three really great teachers. They're managing two classrooms, 42 students and lots of messy art supplies. I don't know how they do it. And my weekly volunteer time makes me glad they are and that I'm not!