Didn't Drink the Kool-Aid . . .

I have always thought of myself as a hard ass.  Someone who operates in black and white - there is no grey.  I am the enforcer . . .  the passer out of punishment . . . the 1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . kinda of girl!

Long before I had children matters were just that . . . black and white.  Either you are right or you are wrong - nothing in between.  So when my husband and I would hear of "other" children misbehaving . . . we had a plan on just how to deal with it!

Cheating on a paper . . . Make them come clear with the teacher!

Kid selling drugs . . . Your turn him in . . . and beat him!

Taking something that doesn't belong to you . . . Force the child to return it in person!

Committing a crime . . . Call the cops!

Child being rude . . . He writes an apology letter!

I am a big believer in them owning the responsibility for their actions!

5th Grade Girls . . .

I can recall in 5th grade my best friend Heather W. and I were not nice girls.  We would make fun of Jacob F - who couldn't tie his shoes or ever bother putting them on the right feet.  We made fun of Susan D - who showed her underwear when bending over and we made fun of Bonnie W who would pour glue in the well of her desk, let it dry and then eat it.

In 5th grade these were some of the most horrible offenses according to Heather and I.  Seriously - was there nothing better to do than see if Susan's undies were showing or Jacob's shoes were untied?  We didn't limit ourselves to just these three - we shared our special form of attention on just about everyone! We felt it was our right to put people in their place - point out their flaws.  To show them how we were better.