So this isn't retail-related, but it IS work related.
The. Kids. Are. Driving. Me. INSANE!
No, not my kids (I technically have none), but the kids at school. Holy crap! We have one more week to go until Christmas break, and we're all wishing it started tomorrow. The incidents this week:
Generally obnoxious behavior
-Kids tormenting each other until one of them cries. Bonus point for continuing to torment while the other one is still crying.
-Two words: Food fight. In the cafeteria. NOT okay.
-Putting their food on other people's plates. Also not okay.
-Talking over me in the classroom. Continually. Until I place both offending parties in my "naughty chairs" facing the wall. First time I've ever had both of them full at the same time. Finally some peace and quiet!
-Running down the stairs. CONSTANTLY. And what's so offensive about the bottom step? If it didn't need to be there, they wouldn't PUT it there!
-Running through school. We have new tile. It isn't waxed yet. It's slick and has a residual layer of sand on it from the playground. Running = hard tile slip 'n' slide. Not good.
-Kids who essentially have popcorn under their butts and are constantly out of their seat in the cafeteria. Sit down and raise your hand...I'll come to you oh my goodness. Someone's gonna wear their lunch because they bump into someone and then we'll have tears and who knows WHAT else.
Specific instances of idiocy/rudeness/obnoxious behavior
-Just because someone is sitting around where you want to sit at lunch does NOT mean you can make the whole class get up and move to suit your fancy. It will NOT happen.
-Sassing me because I told you no on the above incident.
-When I'm teaching you and I say something, I say it for a reason. If I wanted to hear myself talk, I'd talk to a wall. I suggest you listen to what I have to say so you're not asking questions later, OR get in trouble for doing it wrong. Again. And again. And again.
-Participate, will you? You're in here for 30 minutes, and I'm asking you to read a story aloud with us. This is NOT quantum physics. Get over it and read!
-Will you please quit running in the cafeteria? Someone's going to get hurt. You'll all get food and have plenty of time to eat. Oh, and if you run, it'll take more time because you'll have to go back and walk. I suggest you walk in the first place.
The icing on the cake
I busted a 3rd grader (8 y/o for those of you across the pond) for running. I made him go back and walk. A 13-year old 5th grader walking by thought this was funny, so I made HIM go back and walk too.
A: obnoxious 5th grader. He's like 13 (he's been held back twice) and is HUGE. He's like 5'8". I'm 6". He's slightly intimidating, but not much.
Me: Cafeteria Nazi.
A: pssh...whatever.
Me: Whatever? Fine! Then if it's "whatever" to you, you can go walk around the last trash can and back 5 times. (We have tables on each side, with a row of trash cans in the middle. It's about 50 feet either way...rough guess).
A: do I have to carry my food?
Me: you bet. Let's get going.
Meanwhile, A tries to sneakily set his food down on the table where he thinks I'm not looking.
Me: Fine...if you don't want to carry it, that's OK. Two more laps. That's 7. You've done half of one. Get going.
A: I may as well go to the office.
Me: Nope, you're going to do your laps. (In his face now, in a low but loud-ish commanding voice) You're being rude, disrespectful, and it's NOT cute. You WILL do your laps, and I really don't care if you like it or not. That's not my problem. You don't laugh at kids getting in trouble, and you CERTAINLY don't react how you did when I ask you to do something. Now I suggest you get going, and the answer is 'because I said so'. Now go.
He finished his laps, and sat down and ate. My shift in the cafeteria was over (hallelujah!), so I went to give his teacher a heads up so she would know the story before he went and whined to her about how mean and awful I am. (By the way, he still had plenty of time to eat, so I wasn't depriving him of anything but socialization time).
Me: deliverer of bad news
C: Teacher
Me: Hey, I'm sorry to bother you, I just wanted to give you a heads up on A. He *insert what he did...in previous dialog* so I *punishment explained up top*.
C: Well, do YOU want to keep him for the rest of the day?
me: (thinking she's joking here) - *giggle* No, that's alright
C: Because you ruined him for the rest of the day.
Me: *blink* Uhh....huh? He laughed at another kid getting in trouble, and was then disrespectful when I asked him to do something, so I punished him. What else am I supposed to do? I believe in punishing a kid when they laugh at someone getting in trouble.
C: Well, I understand proving a point, but you ruined the whole rest of the day for him.
Me: I'm sorry, but...I didn't know what else to do. I just wanted to let you know so you heard it from me first. *walks out*
I went up the office and found the lady who's becoming sort of my mentor...and bawled in my office for like 30 minutes. It takes A LOT to reduce me to tears in public, but....gah! She did tell me that the teacher was way out of line and that my punishment, although perhaps not the best one (I was thinking off the top of my head...pretty good for 1/2 second of think time), was effective and fair, and who cares if it "ruined his day". He needs to be punished when he does stupid things!
I cannot WAIT for this week to end, and I can't wait even more for Christmas break.
*runs off screaming*
The. Kids. Are. Driving. Me. INSANE!
No, not my kids (I technically have none), but the kids at school. Holy crap! We have one more week to go until Christmas break, and we're all wishing it started tomorrow. The incidents this week:
Generally obnoxious behavior
-Kids tormenting each other until one of them cries. Bonus point for continuing to torment while the other one is still crying.
-Two words: Food fight. In the cafeteria. NOT okay.
-Putting their food on other people's plates. Also not okay.
-Talking over me in the classroom. Continually. Until I place both offending parties in my "naughty chairs" facing the wall. First time I've ever had both of them full at the same time. Finally some peace and quiet!
-Running down the stairs. CONSTANTLY. And what's so offensive about the bottom step? If it didn't need to be there, they wouldn't PUT it there!
-Running through school. We have new tile. It isn't waxed yet. It's slick and has a residual layer of sand on it from the playground. Running = hard tile slip 'n' slide. Not good.
-Kids who essentially have popcorn under their butts and are constantly out of their seat in the cafeteria. Sit down and raise your hand...I'll come to you oh my goodness. Someone's gonna wear their lunch because they bump into someone and then we'll have tears and who knows WHAT else.
Specific instances of idiocy/rudeness/obnoxious behavior
-Just because someone is sitting around where you want to sit at lunch does NOT mean you can make the whole class get up and move to suit your fancy. It will NOT happen.
-Sassing me because I told you no on the above incident.
-When I'm teaching you and I say something, I say it for a reason. If I wanted to hear myself talk, I'd talk to a wall. I suggest you listen to what I have to say so you're not asking questions later, OR get in trouble for doing it wrong. Again. And again. And again.
-Participate, will you? You're in here for 30 minutes, and I'm asking you to read a story aloud with us. This is NOT quantum physics. Get over it and read!
-Will you please quit running in the cafeteria? Someone's going to get hurt. You'll all get food and have plenty of time to eat. Oh, and if you run, it'll take more time because you'll have to go back and walk. I suggest you walk in the first place.
The icing on the cake
I busted a 3rd grader (8 y/o for those of you across the pond) for running. I made him go back and walk. A 13-year old 5th grader walking by thought this was funny, so I made HIM go back and walk too.
A: obnoxious 5th grader. He's like 13 (he's been held back twice) and is HUGE. He's like 5'8". I'm 6". He's slightly intimidating, but not much.
Me: Cafeteria Nazi.
A: pssh...whatever.
Me: Whatever? Fine! Then if it's "whatever" to you, you can go walk around the last trash can and back 5 times. (We have tables on each side, with a row of trash cans in the middle. It's about 50 feet either way...rough guess).
A: do I have to carry my food?
Me: you bet. Let's get going.
Meanwhile, A tries to sneakily set his food down on the table where he thinks I'm not looking.
Me: Fine...if you don't want to carry it, that's OK. Two more laps. That's 7. You've done half of one. Get going.
A: I may as well go to the office.
Me: Nope, you're going to do your laps. (In his face now, in a low but loud-ish commanding voice) You're being rude, disrespectful, and it's NOT cute. You WILL do your laps, and I really don't care if you like it or not. That's not my problem. You don't laugh at kids getting in trouble, and you CERTAINLY don't react how you did when I ask you to do something. Now I suggest you get going, and the answer is 'because I said so'. Now go.
He finished his laps, and sat down and ate. My shift in the cafeteria was over (hallelujah!), so I went to give his teacher a heads up so she would know the story before he went and whined to her about how mean and awful I am. (By the way, he still had plenty of time to eat, so I wasn't depriving him of anything but socialization time).
Me: deliverer of bad news
C: Teacher
Me: Hey, I'm sorry to bother you, I just wanted to give you a heads up on A. He *insert what he did...in previous dialog* so I *punishment explained up top*.
C: Well, do YOU want to keep him for the rest of the day?
me: (thinking she's joking here) - *giggle* No, that's alright
C: Because you ruined him for the rest of the day.
Me: *blink* Uhh....huh? He laughed at another kid getting in trouble, and was then disrespectful when I asked him to do something, so I punished him. What else am I supposed to do? I believe in punishing a kid when they laugh at someone getting in trouble.
C: Well, I understand proving a point, but you ruined the whole rest of the day for him.
Me: I'm sorry, but...I didn't know what else to do. I just wanted to let you know so you heard it from me first. *walks out*
I went up the office and found the lady who's becoming sort of my mentor...and bawled in my office for like 30 minutes. It takes A LOT to reduce me to tears in public, but....gah! She did tell me that the teacher was way out of line and that my punishment, although perhaps not the best one (I was thinking off the top of my head...pretty good for 1/2 second of think time), was effective and fair, and who cares if it "ruined his day". He needs to be punished when he does stupid things!
I cannot WAIT for this week to end, and I can't wait even more for Christmas break.
*runs off screaming*
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