I, like most teachers (well at least I hope I am with the majority), have a problem turning my “teacher” role off when it comes to kids in public.  I know it embarrasses my husband but I only do it when it is affecting me or especially my daughter.  Sometimes it just comes out and I feel bad that it does, or feel that it was not my place.

Lately I have been good and biting my tongue especially if their parents are around but it makes me nuts when kids are mean, disrespectful or rude to others and their parents don’t care.  In my school and especially in my classroom it is my job to correct these behaviors and to teach better ones in its place, so it is so hard for me not to do it in public.  I also think it is necessary for kids to work things out on their own, even my daughter.

Even if I am standing right there.

Even if I don’t agree with the way she is handling it- unless she is the one being rude, disrespectful or mean.

I try not to turn on my ‘teacher”.

However this weekend I actually turned the “teacher” way up and yelled at two girls from my neighborhood (one whose father was standing right there).

We have lived in our neighborhood for almost 3 years and these 2 girls are just not very nice girls.  They are usually not very nice to my daughter when she tries to play with them, or even just say hi to them at the park or in the neighborhood.  I’ve seen them be not nice to other girls too.

Sometimes Reese does not want anything to do with them and other times she tries to interact with them.  When they are being unfriendly I try to encourage her to play with nice kids and sometimes she listens and sometimes she does not and keeps trying to play with them.

On Saturday she kept on trying to play with them.  They finally called her a “cheater” for some reason and then she ran away from them.  Knowing I was watching- which BTW these are the kids that know they are naughty because they always have their eye on me when they interact with her to see if I am watching or not- they started yelling towards her “Sorry!  Sorry!”

Well I had enough and the “teacher” in me went OFF.  Right in front of the dad and I did NOT care.

I know these girls are only 5 and 6.  I know that Reese can be a little stinker too but this happens all the time and they are just looking to be mean to kids and I cannot stand that.  I don’t expect them to be her best friend but I do expect that when she comes up and says hi, that they don’t just ignore her and walk away for no reason.

After my yelling, the dad chimed in and yelled at the girls as well.

By the end of the time at the park the girls apologized and were playing and being nice to her and made sure they said goodbye.  My point got across- for that day.

I know that chances are they will most likely be the unfriendly girls next time we see them again and my “teacher” coming out probably won’t phase them and my daughter will still want to play with them but that was definitely a time I am glad my “teacher” came out.