After breakfast this morning, my parents went down to visit my brother and his family for a few days. We went to church. After the service, the father of a little girl in T.'s Sunday School class took Ed aside to say that T. had kicked his daughter, and that his son would beat T. up if it happened again. After that, while Ed was talking to T., the Sunday School teacher's daughter came over and said that T. had been making trouble. Just as we were starting to get upset with T., another boy in the class, whom I've always found to be very honest, came over and told us that the little girl and the Sunday School teacher's daughter had started the conflict. Aargh!!! We had this same pattern on Tuesday night, at the Pancake Supper, where the same children accused T. of misbehaving, and a different boy came to us and told us that the other kids had started the teasing.
I don't think it's likely that T. is entirely innocent of misbehavior. On Tuesday, after T. called the little girl an ass, I asked him Why, and he said she had kicked him in the stomach (they were outside on the playground set). "Hard?" I asked. "Not hard," he said. I think he over-reacts to their pokes and teases, and they are enjoying causing a stir.
Ed talked to the Sunday School teacher, who apparently had observed enough to consider her own daughter somewhat at fault. Ed suggested taking T. out of Sunday School, but the teacher doesn't want him to. I want to take him out, but I know I am responding as much to my own experiences of the cruelty of children in cliques as I am to the current situation. T. wants to stay in Sunday School.
When we got home, we explained to T. that, if he stays in Sunday School, he will just have to ignore the teasing, sly kicks, and pokes of this group that appears to be out to get him. Their families are all very involved in the church, and they will all support each other. It doesn't seem very likely, but maybe he will find a way to successfully deal with these kids?
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Trouble
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2 comments:
I'm really not looking forward to this stuff with my kids! I REALLY think you should keep him in Sunday school. He needs to learn how to deal with the conflict. That's about the ONLY thing that's good? about having kids in public school is that they "learn" how to be abused and how to deal with it. There are always going to be jerks no matter what public situation he's in, so he needs to work this out while he's young. In my humble oppinoin. (I was homeschooled for 4 years)
Celena -- Thank you. I really do appreciate the input, Especially since you had the experience of being homeschooled. I went through public school, was pathetically shy, and never did learn how to deal well with bullies. They made school a living hell for me. However, Travis is a much braver, more outgoing person than I, and I think he really may be able to deal with these kids.
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