Meep!

So, we are heading into the end of the second week of school tomorrow. Second week, and what did I get today?!? Any guesses? I got a 2nd sad faced note from Ben's teacher that I had to sign and return. Let me repeat-second note-second week. What the?!? Ben doesn't get into trouble (usually) at school! He loves it there! Home is a different story.

He got this one for the same reason as the last one, not listening/paying attention. Last time he lost 5 minutes of recess time, it will probably be the same tomorrow. I told him, again, I wasn't happy about this. We moved the bedtime for him and Nick up another half hour to 7:30. I also put on my 2nd signed note, that I thought it would be a good idea for him to be moved to the front of the class away from his friends. We did deal with this problem last year, but he had a more tolerant/understanding teacher then, I guess. It's still not something I want to dismiss-I definitely think he needs to work on his listening. Wait, scratch that-his hearing  needs improvement. As we all know, there is a big difference in just listening to someone, and actually hearing the words they say. I fear I am at a disadvantage here, just because I am a woman, trying to understand and fix something that most adult men still have problems with. But I need to do something. His "Professor *Umbridge-esque" teacher seems to have a low tolerance for this kind of thing. I'm pretty much at a loss of what to do next. This kind of thing makes you question your parenting skills.

"My kid isn't one of those kids. He's well behaved, with impeccable manners. Every teacher dreams of having a child like him in their class!"

That's what I would love to think. That my parenting skills are above reproach, and my children are perfect in every way. But they aren't. They are kids. Kids will push boundaries, and try and get away with everything. Ben likes to think that whatever he is drawing at the moment, is more important than whatever he is being told to do. He, very much like his father, likes to do things in his own time. Neither of them like to feel "rushed", which I know from first hand experience, can be quite annoying. He's also a perfectionist. (Unfortunately, that is all me. *Sigh*) I told him that it isn't fair for his teacher to have to keep repeating things to him, and hold up the class because he isn't listening to her. To this, he breaks down in tears with, "but I was listening! I was trying to!"

No amount of explaining that if he was, in fact listening, I wouldn't keep getting these sad faced papers sent home to sign. I could try, but he wouldn't listen to me anyway. Like I said, we have the same issue at home. I have to repeat things about 6-9 times before I get any response from him. It's beyond irritating! If the TV is on, within a 1/2 mile radius of him-forget it! This doesn't help him out at all. It just makes me even more angry-I have a serious hate/hate relationship with repetition. His teacher last year told me he listens great once he makes eye-contact. So goes my reasoning for him getting moved to the front of the class!

All I know is this has to stop, but since I really haven't known how to deal with this at home, I really am at a loss for how to deal with it in public. How do you make a kid "hear" his teacher? I have explained that no matter what he is doing, he needs to do what the teacher says-when she says it. As in-right then. No excuses. He says he understands, but how long does that last? A week, apparently.

And his ears have been checked. They work perfectly! Just whisper something next to him you don't want him to hear, and you can guarantee he did!

*Also, I doubt his teacher is sadistically evil like Delores Umbridge from Harry Potter. I'm sure she is perfectly wonderful. I haven't met her yet, but I believe her to be all that is good and pure. I just am speaking of her "No crap, Black/White views on teaching." (I reserve the right to change my mind upon meeting her....)