Opinions please

[Jess]

I just want to know what you think of a kindergartener being told they would have to walk laps if they didn't stay in line for a drink.

The story is that a kindergartener didn't know that mom forgot to pack a drink. So the kindergartener sat down. Realized it when lunch box was opened. Asked to go through line to purchase milk. Was told if it happened again kindergartener would owe one lap.

Being the forgetful mom my opinion may be biased but I think this wrong. Aren't we all forgetful sometimes? Why punish a child for this? I think even if the child knew that morning and forgot by lunch it is wrong to make them walk laps over it.

I feel milk or drink is a necessity to a meal.

I mentioned to the teacher that I was told this by my child and her response was that she didn't tell her that. However, immediately following the conversation I asked my child why they thought that and their response was their teacher told them.

 

[Suzydiana]

Wrong

I do not think it was fair. I also think it is punishment having to do with food. Next time, the child may be too scared to go through the line for fear of being punished for something she can not even control. I do not think a child should be punished for this.

 

[lynn]

Not fair, but...

I first want to applaud you for talking to the teacher about the situation. I taught Kindergarten for many years and often a five year old's version of what happened is quite different from the teacher's. This is not to say that a child purposefully lies, but at five things can be very overwhelming. I do believe that either the teacher did tell your child that or has told a child in the past that. She may have realized her unfairness when you spoke with her and responded she didn't say that. My guess is that several students have forgotten in the past and the teacher is trying to teach them to check their lunchbox and be more responsible. However, I agree the "punishment" doesn't fit the "crime". If the teacher is open to suggestions you could suggest that when the kids line up for lunch they check for a drink and must tell the teacher if they will need one. This will take a few extra minutes, but if many chldren are forgetting it will be time well spent. Also you could have a system for your child. When she has a drink in her box you could have a red sticker on her lunchbox handle and if she needs to get milk you could put a green sticker on the handle. Some kind of reminder for her. Good luck. My daughter starts kindergarten next year, I'm already feeling the tears.

 

[M.]

Re

I'm a little confused if this is your child or not, but either way I feel that it is wrong. What exactly did the child do wrong, or the parent for that matter? Nothing IMO! Forgetting a drink isn't wrong. And it's not like the child screamed about it or anything like that. He went in line to get the drink! The whole thing seems innocent to me. Plus, this child is a kindergarten at that, I think that especially when dealing with children of a young age, you have to be sensitive them! Even if the student was older, I still fail to see how the child did any wrong at all! I teach fifth grade, and if I had a student that didn't have a drink, I wouldn't punish him! I'd have him do what he needed to do. If he wanted milk and had money in his account or the school didn't mind providing a free one, I would have him do that. If he wanted water, I would be more than happy to find a cup and have him fill it up with water!

 

[hescollin]

Petunia

Why make an issue over something so simple. It was only the first time.

 

[Alice]

opinion

I would absolutely make a "deal" out of it. This is a young, impressionable child. If more than one child collaborated the story, I would have taken it to the principal and requested remediation to make sure such misunderstandings would not happen again. If more than one child had the different "slant" on what happend that that stated by the teacher, I would wonder about future "slants" that might come up.

 

[Carrie in WV]

That is sad

I am a teacher in the 5th grade and I do my very best to help my students get organized, to be responsible, etc., but....

I have to call my husband at least once every couple of weeks to bring me something that I have forgotten that "I've got to have" when he drops the kids off for school!!

It's not like this has been happening every day since school started. Give the child a milk and forget about it!