Tonight Ryan told Daddy that he got two stars at school today. He seemed so excited that Daddy had to ask why he got them. Ryan proudly announced that he got them for cleaning up – picking up the big blocks and the cars. Daddy was very proud.
Ryan also stated rather matter-of-factly that he also got two checkmarks today. We weren’t sure what that was all about, so Daddy asked. Apparently Ryan received his checkmarks for not listening and not cleaning up. Wow. All I can say is they sure are tough in preschool.
I tried to find out what happens when you get too many checkmarks. In my fifth grade class, if you got your name on the board it was a warning, but a checkmark by your name and you had to copy dictionary words. Yes, the dreaded dictionary words – where you choose one word beginning with each letter (25 total, since you get to skip X) and write its pronunciation, full definition and all variants. (I hated that assignment, but since my 5th grade teacher was also my cousins’ uncle, I had to grin and bear it.)
When you get too many checkmarks at Ryan’s school, however, the punishment is quite astonishing. Ryan looked Stephen straight in the eye and said, “When you get three checkmarks, you have to go upstairs to the little babies’ room and change their poopy diapers!”
Oh my! (A complete fabrication, but disturbing nonetheless!)