Fight (819 hits)
Category: NoneLabels: crap:non-fiction
Rating: 1.76 on 27 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Circe <fickle_muse.at.hotmail.com> (View user info) at 2004-06-05 10:59:50 EDT
"And then he yelled at the music teacher. THAT is why your son has detention."
You look so miserable, sitting there, swinging your feet. I have to fight for you. There's no-one else to do it. What I WANT to do is take you home and tell you to go to your room for an hour. I want to sit with you, talk to you, and find out why you're doing this. I want to know what's happened to my brilliant, clever, loving little boy. But I can't, not yet. Your teacher stands there with her arms crossed, tapping her foot, expecting a response from me. She exudes authority. I have to fight the urge to scuff my toe on the floor and mumble "Yes, ma'am." (I am an adult, godammit. I have three children and a minivan. I pay bills and attend Parents & Citizens meetings. I AM AN ADULT.)
She has a folder on you. The academic section is empty. We know you're smart. We know you can do work that's two years ahead of you. The behavior section is crammed, full of densely handwritten notes. I flick through and my eyes widen. Here, you swore at a teacher. I have never once heard you swear. Here, you poked a little girl in the throat when she broke your lunchbox. My voice is taut and strained when I ask "Why wasn't I told about any of this?" The teacher's voice takes on a huffy, condescending note. (Damn you, I am an adult. I am not six years old. You can't make me feel like a naughty child.) "We try to take care of school-related behavior problems within the structures of the school system. We're preparing the children for the time when they need to rely on their own merits to succeed, rather than the intervention of their parents."
I stare at her. I no longer feel like a child. I have to fight for you. You sit there with those tears running down your face and I don't care that you've misbehaved, you are MINE and it is MY job to fight for you.
"Do you even comprehend anything you've just said?" She looks at me blankly, and before she can open her mouth I plow on. "He is six years old. As his parent, I feel that intervention at this stage of his education is not only preferable, it's mandatory. You have never asked to meet with me concerning his behavior, and you've never arranged an interview to find out what else might be happening in his life. A year ago, I almost died and was in a coma for a month. He had to leave behind his friends and school without saying goodbye. He has two baby sisters who are very, very sick little girls. Don't you think you should have at least spoken to me when he started to show signs of unhappiness?"
She speaks again. "We need to come up with a behavior management plan. I think it needs to be a concentrated effort, at school and at home."
I am on fire. I am a lioness. I am unstoppable right now. "You don't think that perhaps this would have been a good idea BEFORE it got to the detention stage? I'm all in favour of managing his behavior. I'm going to take my son home and talk to him about what's happening inside his head, and we'll talk to you about it on Monday. And in future, I'll be told about these incidents-" I tap the folder with one finger - "the same day they happen."
I take you by the hand and lead you out of the classroom. As soon as we're outside, I stop, and kneel down so that my eyes are on a level with yours. "Do you know how much trouble you're in when we get home?" You're silent, still with tears in your eyes. I wait for an answer, and when it comes, it's not what I expected. "Thank you for not letting her make me feel sick and sad."
We walk to the car, hand in hand, as we always have. We will still walk hand in hand, even when you're too old and self-conscious to make physical contact. Your hand has been in mine from the start, and it'll stay there forever.
I will always fight for you. I'll punish you when you turn into that brat you can be, and I'll shout at you when you make me furious. I CAN, because I love you. But when you're sitting on a desk, with your feet swinging miserably, and tears running down your face, and I can see you hugging yourself because you feel lost and alone, I'll fight for you.
I'll fight for you even when you're wrong.
User Reviews
Submitted by Fey (user info) at 2007-04-18 07:43:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Doodles (user info) at 2006-12-10 16:09:21 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Your son is demon child, I love it.
Submitted by ruthless (user info) at 2005-05-27 15:12:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Fuck.
Submitted by Scott_James (user info) at 2004-08-04 17:21:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by JChristian1965 (user info) at 2004-06-17 18:34:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Dang....
I've read some of your other stuff by now.
Incredible. :)
Submitted by SausageKing (user info) at 2004-06-08 03:38:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Goddam Circe, this is awesome.
Submitted by Stin (user info) at 2004-06-06 13:21:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
For all the shit kids put their parents through. If only they all did the same.
Submitted by Insanethemind (user info) at 2004-06-05 23:25:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
"I'm on fire. I am a loiness."
Submitted by Bigmike (user info) at 2004-06-05 19:37:02 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Beautiful, just beautiful.
Good understanding.
Submitted by Bellebrown (user info) at 2004-06-05 17:26:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Not a big fan of people who think their children are perfect - but acknowledging that the kids a shit but you don't care makes it a little easier to understand.
Im like that with any member of my family. *I* can say what I like about them, but *you* had better watch your mouth.
Submitted by yidele (user info) at 2004-06-05 14:21:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
not bad
Submitted by Parker (user info) at 2004-06-05 14:06:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Chills.
"Your hand has been in mine from the start, and it'll stay there forever."
Very nice.
Submitted by Sicgrrl (user info) at 2004-06-05 14:04:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
stroke my hair
Submitted by Magicaddict (user info) at 2004-06-05 13:53:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Good
Submitted by mystiamoon (user info) at 2004-06-05 13:42:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by youarsoghey (user info) at 2004-06-05 12:46:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I liked.
Submitted by conrad (user info) at 2004-06-05 12:25:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Good stuff
Submitted by Dufflady (user info) at 2004-06-05 12:18:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I loved it. My son is six and you just tugged at my emotions.
Strong.
Submitted by mikethescottish (user info) at 2004-06-05 12:15:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Yeah, pretty good.
Sorry, i'm too tired to say anything semi-intelligent.
Submitted by Coyote (user info) at 2004-06-05 12:13:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Careful, or you'll get a reputation as the crazy lady who humiliates all the school administrators. Not that that's a bad thing... I enjoyed the hell out of being able to get out of trouble just because the principal would simply have rather not dealt with my mother.
On a technical note, I find it hard to read passages in the second person, but that's probably just me.
Submitted by Ainkara (user info) at 2004-06-05 11:39:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This was great hun
Submitted by lojope (user info) at 2004-06-05 11:31:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by KoolMang (user info) at 2004-06-05 11:30:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Paddle his ass! It's the American dream, after all!
Submitted by gassygirl73 (user info) at 2004-06-05 11:27:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
I liked it.
Submitted by FilthyAssistant (user info) at 2004-06-05 11:26:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Sicgrrl (user info) at 2004-06-05 11:23:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
mommy, i want to scream.
Submitted by helium_the_balloon (user info) at 2004-06-05 11:13:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: -1
mmh..
Submitted by TurdBurgular <Raggedy.at.cox.net> at 2004-06-05 11:10:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Good story!... Now I'm all misty and want my momma.