On Sunday my 10 year old son, Sandor, said the words every parent fears, “I don’t want to go to school, they’re so mean”
“Who’s mean?” I pounced on the conversation like a puma. Was my boy being bullied? I was ready to kick some 5th grade butt.
He plopped down next to me on the couch. “The teachers, they talk to the kids so mean. I swear they hate us.”
This was a new situation. Sandor always loves his teachers and does very well in school. Open house night is one of my favorites because the teachers gush on and on about how great he is and what a wonderful mother I must be. When my self esteem is low I re-live parent teacher conferences. That’s how great Sandor usually does in school.
“Are they mean to you or just strict?”
“I can handle strict but they say really bad stuff to the other kids, not me really.”
My inner detective began taking notes. “Like what?”
“If you take more than even a second to answer a question they say “sit down” real fast.”
“Ok,” I said, thinking maybe it wasn’t’ that bad.
“And yesterday a new kid tried to answer an English question. He got it wrong and was about to try again and Mrs. XXX said. ‘did you go to this school last year?”
“No ma’am.”
“Were you in any “special” classes at your old school?”
Wow, that really was a mean thing to say. I was shocked.
“I felt so sorry for him, Mom. He’s kind of annoying but still, she shouldn’t say stuff like that.”
He was right, she shouldn’t. Two days latter he came in a with a similar story. Apparently, my son has a teacher/bully, a grown adult who mocks and teases instead of teaches.
I’m not storming the principal’s office yet. It’s only the second week of school. I have to pick and chose my battles.
Then I told Sandor about a bubble trick I made up. When the teachers start getting mean and loud just close the bubble door. You’re inside, you can see and hear and focus, but the anger and chaos outside the bubble don’t have any effect on you. I made this bubble up for one of my Taekwondo students who was always getting mad at his little brothers and sisters.
Yesterday Sandor nearly tackled me and yelled, “The bubble worked, it totally worked!”
I was stunned. Maybe I’ll have to try it out at work tomorrow.
I’ll keep you posted as to what I do with the teacher. Sandor can stay in his bubble but I’ve got a feeling at some point I’ll end up popping hers.