When I woke up this morning I still had a stuffy nose and a sore throat, now with a slight fever. I didn't want to miss work since I only get a handful of sick days for the whole year, so I figured I was able to teach. All I wanted to do was sleep, but I made myself get dressed and walk to work.
Today was one of those days when my kids wouldn't listen to a thing I said and had no attention span to speak of. I began to wish I hadn't come to school today, but then Charles (in all his ridiculousness) brightened my day by being completely stupid from snack-time onward. Although he wasn't listening to me and couldn't focus, it was so difficult to be mad at him because every time he would act out he would make me laugh. When he knows he's done something wrong, he also gives me the biggest Bambi-eyed expression - kids know this works!
Dorothy was doing the same thing. She's the quiet girl in class - Sally and Belle do their Mean Girls thing and tend to leave Dorothy out despite Miss Jeena and my many interventions. But recently she has become more outgoing around me. Every morning she comes up to me and gives me a hug and likes to read books with me after snack-time. Today she kept following behind me when I was walking around the room, imitating my movements. I didn't notice her for at least a minute. Everyone else saw her and giggled and when I finally found her, I had so much trouble being mad at her stealthy behavior.
I know it's good to be consistent, but I was more lenient with discipline today because I felt so under the weather. In addition, how could I legitimately get angry when my kids' misbehaving helped me get through the day?
You're right to pick your battles - and I'll bet they somehow knew that you felt under the weather. Maybe they know that laughter is the best medicine.
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