The Chronicles of Biscuit - "Perils of 1st Grade"

Just yesterday morning I mentioned to my husband, Joe, that it had been several weeks since I had been able to write a "Chronicles of Biscuit" post - about three weeks, actually.  It was making me sad, actually, thinking that Biscuit (Tyler - our youngest child) was growing up and out of his "funny" age. I would miss it, for sure, and so would the rest of the family.  But today, Biscuit changed all of that!  Thanks to the perils of 1st Grade!

When I picked the kids up from school, the youngest two were the first to the van.  When Biscuit got in the van, he immediately started crying. (This reminds me of a Biscuit episode from Kindergarten posted here.)  I knew by that he'd been in trouble.  I asked him what he had done and he prefaced it with, "I'm still good in class, Mom.  I yelled."  Well, of course, the "yelling" part was concerning.  Students shouldn't yell in class.  I asked him why he yelled and here was his explanation:  "I held my hand up for a long time.  They (meaning the teacher and her assistant) never saw me.  It's so loud in there."  I asked what he needed and he said he didn't understand what he was supposed to be doing on his work.  I explained that with so many students (24) in the classroom, it's going to be hard to get to everyone quickly and if they are getting help, it is not going to be really quiet.  I asked for a demonstration of how he held up his hand.  He showed me and I suggested he hold it higher.  He said, "Mom, it gets really tired and I have to keep changing arms."  Well, we talked a little while and I told him that even if they don't see him, he can't yell.

By that time the other siblings were in the van, so I began talking to them about their day.  Later on when Biscuit, his sister and I were on our way to their voice lessons, I thought about his problem.  It occured to me that I never asked WHAT he yelled.  I was almost afraid to ask, but did anyway.  When I asked he responded, "Mom, we've already discussed this!"  But, I told him he never told me what he yelled.  So, he explained that he said he just yelled her name...THREE TIMES!  However, he was quick to say that his teacher assured him that he's still being good in class.  That's funny that he kept saying that because last year he really didn't seem to care.  I mean, he didn't get in trouble very often - in fact only a few times, but he didn't care.  This year he WANTS to do good and be good.  He's definitely grown in that way. 

As far as he knows, nothing happened as far as classroom discipline...probably because it was at the end of the day, which is probably why it was louder in the classroom.  Biscuit now knows that he can not yell, even if he needs help and even if the teacher isn't seeing his hand.  He learned an important lesson today. 

Of course, I don't want him getting in trouble at school, but secretly I am glad to have another "Chronicles of Biscuit".  Shhhhhhhh!  But, don't tell him I said that!