Won't Ask, Won't Tell

The first year I ever started teaching I was inundated with comments from my students about their home life.  Working in a private school, one might think these stories would revolve around the latest high tech gadget or newest car purchase.  No - quite the opposite.  I heard stories about the kids catching their dads kissing their nannies or mommy hitting daddy and other unpleasant experiences.  I was shocked and was often times worried that I would be dragged into it.

The following year during Back to School Night, I jokingly told the parents “I won’t believe what I hear about what goes on at home if you don’t believe stories about what happens at school.”  Not that I was ever worried about anything negative being sent home – I was, and still am, a great teacher.  Regardless, kids will say the darndest things. 

Today during Morning Meeting, sharing time turned into group therapy time.  Here are a few snippets of what I learned. 

·         My mom went to see the new movie “Think Like a Man” with her friends. When she got home, she told my dad that there was no way he could cheat on her again because she knows what’s up. 

·         My mommy and daddy need to stop screaming at each other.  This weekend, mommy took all her stuff and moved out.

·         My brother took me to his friend’s house when he was baby-sitting me and he looked at some guns.  Then he taught me how to play with one.

 ·         My dad took me to see “Chimpanzees” with my sister so that my mom could have some alone time.  My dad started crying when the mom chimp got eaten.  My dad got embarrassed and told me not to tell anyone.

·         My mom wore some high heels and went out to go dancing and drinking.  Do you know what do they drink?

·         My brother stuck my head in the toilet and flushed it. 

·         I went to grandma’s house and I heard a Cody Simpson song playing.  I opened the closet door and saw my cousin (who is also in the class) listening to the song and drawing hearts on her notebook.

With my mouth to the floor, I continued about my day without acknowledging any of these statements.   As we were reading Charlotte’s Web during quiet time, I came to a passage that read:

“…Templeton seized the string, passed it around the end of the pig’s tail, and tied two half hitches…”

Except that I didn’t say the word “hitches”…

… I won’t believe what I hear about what goes on at home if you don’t believe stories about what goes on at school.  Thanks.