Eli = Trouble

How sweet. I picked this picture to remind myself as I write, that he is still just a sweet innocent little 7 year old. When he's asleep.



Let's get to when he's awake.



Eli is in the 2nd grade now. He has a fabulous teacher who I just adore. She really is so good with the kids. I volunteer every Thursday in his room and I love just listening to her teach. Kudos to her ... just for the patience she exhibits.


Eli loves her too. He told me a few weeks ago .. "Mom, I am so lucky. Our teacher never, ever yells". It's true.


Isn't email great? I would much rather get an email from a teacher than a phone call. That probably doesn't say a lot for me. An email seems so much more forgiving than a voice on the other end. Makes it way less uncomfortable as well. Not to mention .. WAY easier to blog.


So two weeks ago, here is the "Eli is in trouble" email..




"I just wanted to let you know that Eli was VERY out of focus and silly today both in my classroom and in his small reading groups. Several times I had to redirect him and his attention back to the task at hand. I had to remove and move him from whole group to a new spot on the floor and then to his desk too. While at his desk he was rocking in his chair side to side and back and forth. When he came back from small group he immediately went to a friends desk and started chatting with him rather than coming in and getting to work like usual. He really should have a yellow day colored for his behavior today. If you get this message tonight and could talk with him about this and then have him color today yellow that would be great. Eli returns at the end of the day from reading and after chatting with Mrs. Thrush about his silly behavior in her group he should be yellow but I had no time to talk with him about this. (In small group today he was reading the spanish word si' for yes instead of the word yes and he did this even after being asked to stop).
Thank you for your help and I know tomorrow will be a better day for Eli."




See what I mean? She's even sweet in emails. I would probably substitute the word 'silly' for 'annoying' or 'irritating' or .. 'your child is rubbing on my EVERY LAST NERVE'. But if I have to get the -he's in trouble- email, then 'silly' works. I also love that she has such hope for the boy. "I KNOW tomorrow will be a better day ..". After all - she could have very well said "IF HE ACTS LIKE THIS AGAIN TOMORROW I AM SENDING HIM HOME". Good thing I am not a teacher.


Had the 'why are you acting like this' talk with him. His only excuse was a shrug of the shoulders and "I was bored".


And last week -




"I wanted to let you know that yesterday in the Art room a classmate shared with Eli that he was excited to be starting gymnastics. Eli and a friend told him that gymnastics was only for GAY people. . .the boy this was said to was quite sad and his mom sent me an email letting me know about this situation. I had a conversation with Eli about this today and had him write an apology note to the boy. I just wanted you to be aware that Eli was using this language.
Let me know if you have questions."




Nope, no questions. At least he didn't use the word "fag" .. he got in trouble for that one last year in 1st grade. It's nice that he has a 15 year old sibling to fill him in on kind words and how to use them. His response to this one "well mom, gymnastics for boys is SO WEIRD .. you know it's true."


No, no son .. it's not. I wasted some serious brain energy trying to convince him.


I know Eli will have a much better week, next week.