Remember that shitty movie from the '80s or early '90s called Problem Child? The really shitty one with the late John Ritter? Know what I'm talking about? This one:
That movie was absolutely atrocious. I once watched it on a greyhound-esque bus from Tamale to Accra back in when I was in Ghana, vacationing on the U.S. Government's dime serving diligently in the Peace Corps. The Ghanaians on the bus watching this movie were disgusted with the main character's behavior (it could be said that he was, indeed, a 'problem child'), and remarked openly to one another throughout the movie how horrible the child was, and how much shame he was bringing to his family and his parents.
In fact, after awhile, the Ghanaians even started yelling at the boy in the bus' mounted TV, scolding him for his horrific behavior.
You know, how people do all the time here in the Civilized World.
Anyway, the reason I'm bringing all this up is 'cause, lately, Kris and I have been feeling a lot like these overly-emotional Ghanaian bus riders, venting our fury at something as unmovable and uncaring as a VCR playing a VHS tape through a mounted TV:
Our six-year-old.
The Cannonball is driving us f***ing crazy, America. Not at home, really, but at school. You may or may not recall that Alayna's always been somewhat of a class clown in school - God knows she's gotten in trouble for it from time to time - but nothing quite like this.
So far this year, she's getting in trouble at least once a week. Usually for talking out in class, or being off task, or not following instructions - that sorta thing. She's not being disrespectful, or defiant, or anything serious. . . just the usual Class Clown nonsense. Still, that kind of crap makes Kris and I look bad, so we've been taking privileges away on a regular basis. She needs five 'greens' at the end of the week in order to get a treat Friday after school (usually ice cream or a Slurpee or something.) On bad days, she loses TV for the night, which, apparently, is a fate worse than death for our kid.
Despite all of this, her behavior continues to fluctuate between doing 'just okay' in class and being a full-blown chatterbox. It got so bad this last week that we had to revoke all screen privileges for the weekend - no TV, no computer, no LeapPad, no Wii, iPod, no nothing. That was brutal, but it may have worked - Alayna's starting to turn it around. Still too early to tell for sure, but here's hoping she keeps it up.
Something else that might scissor-kick some sense into this chick is that her teacher recently started using Class Dojo in her classroom - an app that allows the teacher to input on-the-spot behavioral assessments (either positive or negative) for every student in the classroom throughout the day. Parents can log in (via email or mobile app) to check out how their kid is doing at any time, and kids can even customize their student own, personal avatar (fittingly enough they're monster-themed - see Alayna's below.)
You better believe Kris and I have both downloaded this app to our phones so we can keep up on our Pain in the Ass' shenanigans on a regular basis.
So yeah. We have that kid. Who'd a thunk it.
 |
| Believe it or not, this was almost too expensive for me to use. |
In fact, after awhile, the Ghanaians even started yelling at the boy in the bus' mounted TV, scolding him for his horrific behavior.
You know, how people do all the time here in the Civilized World.
 |
| Devouring a not-often-seen reward for good behavior. . . |
Our six-year-old.
The Cannonball is driving us f***ing crazy, America. Not at home, really, but at school. You may or may not recall that Alayna's always been somewhat of a class clown in school - God knows she's gotten in trouble for it from time to time - but nothing quite like this.
 |
| TV will kill ya. |
Despite all of this, her behavior continues to fluctuate between doing 'just okay' in class and being a full-blown chatterbox. It got so bad this last week that we had to revoke all screen privileges for the weekend - no TV, no computer, no LeapPad, no Wii, iPod, no nothing. That was brutal, but it may have worked - Alayna's starting to turn it around. Still too early to tell for sure, but here's hoping she keeps it up.
 |
| Class Dojo. Class Clown deterring made easy. |
Something else that might scissor-kick some sense into this chick is that her teacher recently started using Class Dojo in her classroom - an app that allows the teacher to input on-the-spot behavioral assessments (either positive or negative) for every student in the classroom throughout the day. Parents can log in (via email or mobile app) to check out how their kid is doing at any time, and kids can even customize their student own, personal avatar (fittingly enough they're monster-themed - see Alayna's below.)
You better believe Kris and I have both downloaded this app to our phones so we can keep up on our Pain in the Ass' shenanigans on a regular basis.
 |
| A B- ? We'll take it. |
So yeah. We have that kid. Who'd a thunk it.
- Brian
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