Principal's office

Just so you know, I have gone back and forth whether to write this post or not. I want to have the memory documented, and it is just a funny story, but if I just don't know if I got sent to the Principal's office I would want the details written down. So I won't tell all the details of that!
Now, just so you know, all of our kids have gotten tickets pulled, lost a gumball, got a strike, moved their car, and whatever other discipline system.....they have gotten in trouble at school for numerous things....some responsibility and some behavior things. But, I do have to say that I am glad for that. I know you are thinking....crazy woman, why are you glad your kids are in trouble? The truth is, I pray that my kids will be caught, and they know I pray that! I want them to be caught so they will be corrected. If they are never caught, they will rarely learn from the situation. So I pray that they are caught, and man are they ever. I sometimes find myself wishing I didn't pray that, but in the end, it is the best thing. The only thing they learn by getting away with something they know is wrong is how to get away with it next time. So I pray they get caught if they are doing something wrong. I want them to learn from their mistakes, not just repeat them over and over.
This brings me to a specific situation where S definitely got caught, over and over and over! Remember, she was in pre-k when all of this happened. I got a call from the teacher, which is usually not a great thing in the middle of teaching time. She told me of the problems of the morning, which left me searching my mind for ideas to help this girl know how to act right. And just to let you know, the problems weren't huge, just little disobedience over and over.....remember too, I pray that she gets caught in each of those times and the Good Lord answered that prayer! S is such a sweet girl, but she is determined and strong-willed, but not as strong-willed as the teacher! (By the way, we love her teacher dearly...we are childhood friends).
When she asked me if I thought she needed swats from the principal, I knew how serious this was. This girl will test you til the end for sure! I came to the school, took her to the van, had a good "talk" with her, and sent her back. I told her, "if you disobey again, you WILL get swats." Well, what does this say to this little darling????........it says.....disobey one more time and just see if someone will give my smiling face swats!
So she disobeyed....I get the call...I tell them to make it good so it will be the last....then I get sick to my stomach. I was irritated with her for disobeying, sad for her that she had to get swats, and selfishly, I was embarrassed that one of my kids had to go to the Principal's office.
That afternoon when I got them from school and the older girls found out about S's bad day...M cried. She was SO upset that S was the first Tinsley girl EVER to get swats from the prinicipal!
Fast forward to the next day. I was home on my day off folding laundry when I got a voicemail on my phone. It is S's teacher again telling me that they are having a rough morning, she had been in the Principal's office, and she (the teacher) just didn't know what to do. By this point, I am mad. I was mad at S for her continuing blatant disobedience, and I was at the end of my rope for what to do. I am telling you, I never folded laundry so fast. Maybe I should get worked up while doing laundry more often! I called Autumn and told her to go deal with it...I was still in my p.j.'s and just couldn't handle it.
Autumn went to the school, walked down to S's room, and knocked on the door. She was a bit thrown off to see a smiling (not shook up) teacher. The teacher was a bit surprised to see Autumn, and as Autumn looked a little further, she saw S doing what she was supposed to be doing and smiling. What in the world? Well, I got yesterday's message finally. Yep, my phone had JUST NOW sent me the message from the day before! S was doing perfectly fine...no problems! However, I had it in my head that she was in trouble that day, so after school, and all evening, every time she wanted candy or to watch TV or whatever, I would tell her no because she got in trouble. She had to remind me that she really didn't get in trouble. Then I would remember and we would all laugh at the day all over again! After that, S rarely got in trouble. Thank you Lord that she got caught and could learn from her mistakes! Thank you Lord for your grace, that whenever we do make mistakes and make bad choices, you continue to love us and teach us!