Grumpy

Names have been changed to protect the not so innocent.

After coming in from recess, the children were sitting at their tables with their heads down (well maybe 2 out of 18 actually had their heads down).  They are resting while waiting for their table to be called  for a drink and a restroom break.  I am standing at the edge of the room monitoring the tables....as in "Let's see which table is the quietest so they can go next."

Steven:  I can't see out of my eye!

(as he's rubbing it.)

Teacher:  Why not?  What happened?

Steven:  He poked his finger in it.

(pointing to the boy across the table from him.)

Billy:  I said I was sorry!

Me:  Let's see your eye...                 Oh, it's really red.
 (me to teacher)     I think he needs to see the nurse.

After Steven heads to the nurse, Billy ( the eye poker and also the birthday boy) is getting more and more agitated....whipping his coat all over the place and basically growling...in anticipation of getting in trouble for this injury he caused.  Keep in mind, all the children are still at their tables with their heads down .....or NOT.

Me:  Okay, I'm still waiting on Billy's table to get quiet so they can go get water.

This is what I hear from a boy at another table...

Edward:  Billy, surely you can get a good attitude now that you're SIX. 

Billy:  Well, I'm grumpy.            (long pause)    

            And my brother is 8 and he's still grumpy.

And honestly, I get it.  I am 53 and I was grumpy. 

*I feel like I should fill you in on Edward....the boy who was dishing out great advice.  While "grumpy" isn't his problem, "talking back" and "rowdy" are issues he works on daily.  So I suspect his parents have told him "surely you can get a good attitude now that you are 6!" 

Love it.