Our Son, the Serial Killer

You know, I started writing this blog entry a few days ago to poke fun at our first-grader's sketches. He is very creative in his drawings, and like many little boys, he's obsessed with monsters. I had scanned a few of his drawings into the computer, but needed to pull the really "creative" ones out of the bin where I store the kids' keepsakes before I could scan it. Alas, I have now been sidetracked by yet again another note from his teacher.

I knew he was in trouble the minute I walked through the door at daycare. It was another sealed note. And before we even got home so I could open and read it, I had already started into him about his behavior at school. When I asked him what happened, he said that he got 5 cubes for playing "guns" and one cube for not putting his name on a math paper. I was taken aback--he truly didn't know why he was in such deep trouble with his teacher, and he was clearly upset about this. I tore open the envelope and the teacher assigned him detention. He is a FIRST GRADE BOY. He didn't understand what he did wrong at all. I understand the absolute no tolerance to guns at school, but he does not. No warning, just detention. And a cube for not putting his name on a paper. Now I'm pissed. At the teacher. I understand we've had problems with his behavior at school, but this seems absurd. He should have had detention for doing something crazy, like cutting a hole in his friend's shirt. Instead this woman drops the hammer when he has no idea what he did wrong. Needless to say, Daddy will be making a visit to the school tomorrow (he's the family pit bull). Brandon really is a good kid--he's just a typical little boy. Not the soon-to-be serial killer that his teacher seems to think. Oh, by the way, I am not one of those delusional, overprotective and overbearing parents who thinks my kid is an angel--my sister and both my in-laws were school teachers, and I know my kid can get rowdy and out-of-control if you give him an inch. I just think this teacher has not clearly laid out her expectations, severely punishes him for petty things but doesn't punish him nearly enough for the more severe things...ok, enough ranting. And yes, we do have other children. They just aren't creating nearly as much drama as the oldest right now. Believe me, they all have their moments, and we love them all the same. I'm sure someday soon you will be hearing all about the other brothers.