it had to happen at some point...

Well, I should have known it would happen at some point. Although it still makes me very sad. Ryan - the youngest of five - got on 'red' today. RED! It hurts to say it out loud. The kindergarten he attends has a green (go = great day) yellow (stop behavior = warning) and red (stop!) system in the classroom. Red results in a phone call home from the teacher to the parent. We have raised four other children through elementary school and none of them have ever gotten on red. Getting on red also means he will not get a treat from the treasure box on Friday. The treasure box treat is huge for a five year old!
Man, that will be a tough day.
I'm still not exactly sure which behavior he demonstrated got him moved to red. It could be that he doesn't want to join the group at singing time and is not singing (too loud!) or that he often hides under the tables (too shy!), or that he refused to go with the speech teacher for his speech session (a stranger!) or that he refused to complete his schoolwork (it might not be perfect!) We so love this boy but this behavior can be very trying on a parent. We had to have a good long talk, have taken away his computer privileges (he loves to play on Nick Jr.), had him complete the unfinished schoolwork and put back in his backpack for his teacher to see, and had him promise both his teacher and us that he will go to speech tomorrow.
We'll see...I did have to tell his teacher that actually we are pleased with all he is doing though and these things are important for us to remember. He is getting on the bus happy (transitions are huge and it's hard to separate from mom) and he is coming home happy (not grumpy from being at school too long) and he is sitting nicely on the big, hot, no air-conditioned bus! He is also being friendly to classmates, is smart, and is enjoying his recess time. So - it will take time! I see better things in the future when he gets more used to his routine. I keep telling myself that it is only the second week of school and it will all work out.

In other "so today just wasn't a good day" news: I got a phone call today from a neighbor who (get this!) heard from our mutual hairdresser, who heard from another client who has kids who go to the same school that our kids go too, that one of my boys was being bullied at school!
What? Nobody told me!
So of course immediately after getting off the phone I asked my son if he was having any problems at school and he said no. Well, I went to another son's curriculum night and the teacher tells me the son in her classroom had a problem with a bully. So the neighbor-hairdresser-other client who has kids who go to the same school as our kids- did have the story right but with the wrong kid. UGH! The teacher told me complete story. I talked with other son tonight. Yes, it's been settled. But it is unsettling. I think I may need to talk to the parent but I haven't thought that through yet. Any suggestions? I suppose I may need to just let them work it out on their own.

Also tonight was the post-camp fireside. Good times! Fun slide show and awards. Beautiful music, camp experiences shared, and lots of tears. The stake camp director and her assistants were called for three years and this past year was their third year so they will not be coming back next year. I'm so very sad about this. These are good ladies who have blessed my life so very much. I was called as the YCL Leader for two years and so will return again next year. Next year will be different and I guess I'm a little scared for the change.

Well, just keeping it 'real'. Sorry if this is a little too much for you, but I do know that it all will pass and I do think it important to remember these times. Hopefully even tomorrow I will look back and smile at these moments. Tomorrow will be better!