🚀 go-pugleaf

DS1 is 4.5.  I am intrigued by the way he deals with correction and wanted to 
know what you all think.

Today DS1 spat on another child's hand, as the Incident Report stated, "for no 
apparent reason".  DS1 was duly admonished by M, his day care worker.  I asked 
how he reacted -- M said he blushed, began to speak very quickly, and then 
tried to change the subject.  I am certainly used to his attempts to change 
the subject when he's being reprimanded at home!

Asked DS1 about the incident this evening.  He doesn't know why he spat on C's 
hand either, of course.  And he agreed that he felt embarrassed when M spoke 
ot him about it, but then, he may not understand the word.

"Was C angry?" I asked.
"No. [...]  She told everybody about it [...] She was upset... I was going to 
tell her she was naughty."
"Who, C?"
"No, M.  She was naughty."
"M was naughty because she said it was wrong to spit?" (Can you tell we've 
been here before?)
"Yes."
"But it's her job to tell you which are good things to do and which are bad 
things to do."
"No... [long, degenerating rant which eventually ends in confusion]"

Poor M.  DS1 claims not to like her very much because she tells him when he's 
done something wrong.  He is unwilling to accept that she has a right and a 
duty to do this.  When do kids start accepting that other people besides their 
parents have a duty to point out right and wrong? (I can't ever remember 
doubting it.)  I think at some level he does recognise her authority, because 
of the way he ran down this evening when talking about it.  He's an 
interesting kid!

-- 
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia 
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"In Melbourne there is plenty of vigour and eagerness, but there is 
nothing worth being eager or vigorous about."
Francis Adams, The Australians, 1893.