My daughter plays the bass (electric) for the school band. She has band every other school day (it's not a set weekday). She's struggling a little bit in class, not much but she could use all the help she can get.
Although I'm in favor of taking responsibility for yourself I am also a believer in a helping hand if it's truly needed.
I'm torn on whether I should bring her bass to her. Band class is last period, so I have a little while to get it to her (can't make the trip to her school until 1:30, when I get off of work). I want her to take responsibility, but I also don't want her to get behind in class, especially so early in the year.
I'm thinking on just running it up to her, but having a consequence to pay to me for doing it. I mean I had to walk up hill 3 blocks carrying it to my office :P It wouldn't be a huge consequence if I decide on this, more of an annoyance kind of thing to her.
Any thoughts on this? How would you handle it?
Easy for me. Our school does not allow a parent to bring anything to a child once they are in school for the day. If you take it to the office they will not allow your child to come get it. Although I found it a bit harsh at first, it only takes one or two times being "caught unprepared" for the child to step up and find a way to remember.
If it was a habit, I'd probably make a consequence but I wouldn't feel right about consequating for an occasional lapse because there've been times I've asked DH to bring something to my work (he's home a lot because of his schedule and I work 5 minutes away).
I take things to school for my kids because I forget too and I feel bad enough when I do forget. I am guessing your daughter is artistic, if so it is common for people who use the parts of the brain involving arts to be more forgetful. Punishment or consequence for something she cant help wont fix it, just be supportive when you can and when you can't tell her sorry you will have to do without. My oldest is very artsy and forgetful, but he is improvng all the time. I try to make him aware of the struggle and he works at it but I still take forgotten things to him whenever possible.
For the schools that don't allow children to "forget" things, I'd be very hard on them for anything that got forgotten. I know my children's teachers have forgotten things on occasion; my principal has forgotten things as have I (Tuesday afternoon after getting my students on their buses, I came back to my room to see 3 communication books on the table rather than in the kids' backpacks). If it's not acceptable for the kids, it wouldn't be acceptable for any of the staff. Personally, I operate under the assumption that we're all humans, not robots, and the once in a while forgetfulness is part of being human.
We all forget things from time to time, I would bring it to her this time.
Rejection
- dandylynes
on Sep. 4, 2012 at 10:53 AM