I finally convinced my socially awkward son, D, to attend Sunday School so that he could come to church with the girls and I. I teach grades 1-3, but need him to go into the Pre-K/K class so that he doesn’t bother me during my class.
He was scared to go, but I knew his sister would be in class with him to hold his hand, and, c’mon. . .we’re Unitarian Universalists! It’s not like anyone is going to tell him he’s going to go to hell or anything!
During that first class, it’s typical to come up with a set of “Class Rules”—things like, “Don’t Speak if Someone Else is Speaking” and “No Pushing”. Apparently, in his class, the teachers went around the room and asked each child to contribute a rule.
D’s rule? “NO D TALKING“, which translates to mean, “I do not speak in public to anyone I don’t know very well, especially if my Mommy is not by my side, so do not ask me to answer any more questions or contribute in any way to this little class of yours”.
This sounded exactly right for him, and I was impressed he had even articulated that much in public.
This past week, I approached one of the teachers and asked her how D was doing in class, especially given that he will not speak.
She looked at my incredulously. “Will NOT speak? He doesn’t shut up! He talks the entire time!”
“But, the rule he made up!?!?!“
“Yeah, we think he made that rule just so he could break it.“
Ahhhh, my little rule breaker. I can tell I’m in for a ride with this one.
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Perhaps in a previous life he went to parochial school?
It sounds like you have a rebel-in-the-making on your hands.
That’s too cute. He’s going to be a sneaky one, too, making you think he doesn’t talk in public…
This is why children really should run the country. They know how to get around stuff. Maybe not in the most expedient way … but surely with enough elegance and style to make up for it.
I’m actually sitting out of church right now because The Baby is just too much of a live wire.
“But I felt like singing a hymn RIGHT THEN, MAMA!” she wailed at me the other day, as we left in disgrace AGAIN…..
And you were worried that little D never talked. HA!
I love this… for so many reasons. My kids won’t tolerate Sunday School either at this point, so we haven’t been to church (read: one of my only solid social outings every week) in ages if it’s not with lots of coloring books and standing in the back. D sounds like a hoot.