I had to ground my six year old today. It’s his first time being grounded. He got written up for trading Pokemon cards on the bus ( after four warnings ) and will have to see the principle again Monday. He just saw the principle for bus problems yesterday. It was time he was punished.

I got in a lot of trouble in school and was expelled by the 8th grade. That is a fate I do not want for my son. He needs to learn how to behave now and that his actions have consequences before it gets out of hand. Even I wasn’t that defiant of authority at his age. I was a good kid who got all A’s and B’s and rarely got in trouble until I was at least 11.

Today was parent teacher conferences. It seems Ryan is being really defiant in class. He isn’t turning in his work. He isn’t turning in his homework. He left 5 jackets at school. He got sent to the principles office today for acting up on the bus. Now if all that sounds bad just wait until I go on.. He colored his entire chair with a magic marker and he was growling in his reading class. He’s showing anger problems and both teachers suggested a councilor.

The up side to all of this is he is smart. Really smart. His reading teacher said he’s doing amazing. So he has the brains, we just have to work on his behavior. Now I know how my Mother felt. That’s exactly how I was in school. I just don’t know what to do. He’s difficult.