I'm a softy

Oh dear, I'm just not cut out to be tough.

In my classroom I have colors that represent your behavior. And at the end of each day, I mark the color on each student's homework sheet so parents can know how the day went. Kids also get rewards if they have 5 "blue" days (great days).

So, on Thursday, I had to give M a pink. That is one level below the blue. He had "talked back" to me during the day, and kids know that if they talk back to a teacher, they can't get a blue at the end of the day. I talked about M on this post, and how he is my number 1 temptation to lose it! Now, this had been his third pink day in a row.

When he got his folder, I saw big tears begin to form. Then he started to sob.

Oh my heart.

So I pulled him to the side to talk to him. He said, "my momma said if I get another pink today I get the belt" in between sobs.

So I took about 1 minute to think about it and changed his color.

I just couldn't stand the thought of this little child getting "the belt" because of one little incident.

My friends at work teased me unmercifully about this! Oh, Katie, he is manipulating you! He is working you! He knows you are too nice!

So be it! I did what I thought was right for the moment.

** This is not to say that I'm against spanking! Who knows, I may choose to discipline my kids this way when I have kids. And I know plenty of times when it does work...I just felt like this mom didn't understand that a pink isn't necessarily cause for serious punishment.