Special juice?

George and I attended our first PTA meeting last night. Everybody met as a big group before we got to go to the classrooms. The meeting in the group was about fundraising, test scores, more money and more money. They are building an entirely new outdoor area, all with PTA money. Yup, we can be gold star donors if we give the very small amount of $5000.00. Hopefully, they'll have tin star donors because that will be all we can afford.

The meeting with his teacher was awesome. After she got done talking, I seriously wanted to be back in kindergarten and in her class. She makes you feel so good, just by the way she talks. She's incredibly creative. I got goosebumps several times just listening to what they were going to be doing. She's phenomenal and I left knowing that she was the perfect teacher for Samuel. I'm afraid that she is so good that we will be disappointed with every teacher from now on.

During her group presentation, she went over her discipline plan. It's very simple and very positive. She mentioned that one of her students came up to her in the middle of the day and said, "Wow, the day is almost over and I have not even gotten one warning!" And yes, she confirmed after that it was our boy.

So, he is settling in a bit. It's going to be a daily thing with him. He'll have off days, like we all do. I just hope that the on days are more than the off days. I told her that if she felt at anytime that we needed to meet and come up with a plan for Samuel, that we are willing.

What I have learned in these past few weeks, is that I love my son, good and bad. I am trying hard not to take his behavior personally. I am learning to separate the behavior from the person. I want Samuel to know that we love him, through and through. No matter what happens at school, home is his safe place. Sure, we'll follow through with consequences but he is loved. I know this sounds simple, but I think this is an area where parents often times fail.

The other night, after a hard day at school, he said,

"Mom, will you love me if I do something really bad?"
"I'll always love you."
"What if it's really, really bad?"
"I'll still love you."
"Thanks, mom"

Today as he was leaving for school, I noticed a bulge in his pants. I of course, asked him what it was. He pulled out an empty medicine bottle that he had filled with water and put it in his underwear. When I asked why, he said that it contained special juice to make him very, very powerful. All I can say, is that thank God, I found it before he went to school. Can you imagine trying to explain that to the school counselor? Special juice? In his underwear?
I guarantee you we will get a call this year about something that he has brought to school. That kid...